Realization or Revelation?
I had a realization today (well maybe I just listened and God made it clearer to me) that I’d like to share with you. First of all, I know, fully accept and believe what is known as The Great Commission...
“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” - Matthew 28:18-20 ESV
My problem is that I did not feel prepared enough…now I’ve read the Bible several times in my life but I feel like I’d have to read it thousands of times more before I had it on the tip of my tongue to really share with others. I’m getting better as I read it on a daily basis but my strength is not the parsing of words that I see people like Patrick do (yea, I’m jealous). I’ve always been a more big picture guy, mainly because that is what my career required.
Additionally, I thought I needed answers to at least the main questions I might get from non-believers. I guess I was looking for some kind of answer book, I could look up the answer to any question or objection. One of the things I realized today is the phrase “ gentleness and respect” also mean listening and trying to understand their real question or issue. Hopefully, I’m working beyond the milk stage to solid food in my faith walk but they would be starving for anything.
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food…” - Hebrews 5:12
Another problem, and this is a bigee, is that I’m an introvert. Walking up to someone I don’t know and having any conversation with them does not come naturally to me much less the kind of conversation I pictured to try to share the good news.
My final problem is making time in whatever I’m doing. Your probably thinking “but wait, you’re retired”. The reality is that my retirement has morphed into this mixture of volunteer activities, learning, writing devotions and trying to expand my skill set into non-analytical activities (like music).
What hit me today is that I am ready. Today, I’m much stronger in my faith and my faith walk than I’ve ever been before (daily devotion and church learning activities have definitely helped). Also, as my faith walk has progressed, I find that “making time” is not the challenge I thought it was. Today, I stopped at the grocery store and was looking for a jar of spaghetti sauce. There happened to be a women adjusting her cart in front of that section and she apologized for blocking me. I found myself telling her it was no problem and striking up a quick conversation on creating a crustless pizza. So, really, that addressed all 3 of my perceived roadblocks.
That leaves with how do I strike up such a conversation? Well, my church activities have given me suggestions like wearing a T-shirt or a hat that might strike up a conversation (not unlike the crustless pizza). I don’t have to hand out pamphlets or things like that as I had imagined. I do have let my light shine for others to see.
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” - Matthew 5:13-16
I do have to be careful. If I’m, say, wearing a T-shirt that identifies me as a believer, I can’t display inappropriate behavior lest they think I’m a hypocrite or, worse yet, that my faith is worthless. I don’t want to be perceived as salt that has lost its flavor.
“Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” - Romans 14:20-23
There is one last piece of the puzzle that I need to remember…I’m not in this alone.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” - Matthew 28:19-20 ESV
