12 April 2013 by Mindy Oon CM –
As a Christian, I sometimes find it difficult to share my faith and I know of fellow brothers and sisters who are intimidated by the idea of sharing their faith. Matthew 28;19 says “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” The Great Commission, at times, seems to be a great impossibility. How can we become witnesses for Christ when we do not even dare to speak about His love and what He has done for us? Churches offer evangelism courses and apologetics to equip their members to fulfill the Great Commission but many of us are still unable to ‘tell the world that Jesus lives’.
Whilst telling people about Jesus may work for some, many times our unsaved family and friends come to know Jesus by seeing the changes in us, and seeing how the gospel is working in our lives. Words are important, but we need to walk the talk, too. The famous quote by St. Francis of Assisi “Preach the gospel always, if necessary, use words” gives us the push to LIVE our faith. Sometimes using words will just push people away, instead of bringing them closer to God. Here are three practical ways in which we can share our faith without saying much at all.
One of the things that we can do to share our faith is by staying positive and having a good attitude when trouble comes. No one is spared from troubles, but each person has the free will to respond to the problems that they face. Remember the story of how Peter was walking on water? As long as he kept his focus on Jesus, he walked on water. But once he focused on the storm, he started to sink.
When people around see us ‘walking on water’ during the storms in our lives, you can be sure that they will want to have what we have got. When they see the supernatural peace of God in our lives during troubled times, they will know that there is something different about our lives. However, there’s not much to ask about if all they see is our head barely above the water!
Another way that we can live out the good news is to treat people with dignity and respect. No matter what the circumstance, show that you do not change how you treat others around you. Jesus treated people right, even when they mistreated Him, and Luke 6:31 says “And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise”. People will soon notice how you are able to show this kind of respect for others.
The ability to forgive quickly is another way that shows how Christianity really works. When we are hurt and offended, we permit bitterness and hostility to grow in our lives. Whilst we may not have done anything wrong and do not deserve to be hurt, this does not eliminate our responsibility to forgive. In Matthew 18:21-22 Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive someone who has wronged him. Jesus replies “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” Being right does to give us the green light to punish, or humiliate someone else. The world lives by the proverb “an eye for an eye”. By being a model of forgiveness, we are sharing what God did for us – forgiving us of our sins.
The best way to share our faith is by living it out. People will want to know how we can be peaceful in the midst of storms, and how we can forgive others and move on. And when they ask, you will be able to share your faith with someone who is already open to listen to what you have to say about Christ and His love.
Dear Viewers in Christ, if you find this article edifying to you, please share with your friends or loved ones by using the social media plugs (Share, Email to this article). The Lord will surely bless you as you bless others. May the Lord’s peace and love be with you.
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