JUST SPEAK UP!

JUST SPEAK UP!

Ezek 3:18

18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

Acts 4:18-20

18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

          At a restaurant last night, I felt strongly that I should share my faith with our young, single and perky waitress. In spite of her friendliness and aura of happiness, I sensed a deep longing in this young lady. All I had with me was a business card with a few Bible verses written on the back. I offered it to her and she asked if she could keep it.

          Because she seemed interested, I pressed ahead and simply asked her if she were saved; if she were a believer. She shook her head no and there was a look of sadness in her young face. She explained that she had been raised in a mainline denomination but had not been to church in years. I wondered what pain might be discovered if we had the time to talk. My wife had a larger and more exhaustive piece of gospel literature and so I offered that to her. She put it in her apron pocket and promised to read it.

          Why do we find it so hard to simply share our faith? Are we afraid to be thought of as a “Bible thumper” or worse? Are we really so afraid to be rebuffed? I expect many people would not reject a simple offer of gospel literature even if they plan to toss it away later. It’s all in the manner in which it is offered.

             At age twelve, Robert Louis Stevenson was looking out into the dark from his upstairs window watching a man light the streetlamps. Stevenson's governess came into the room and asked what he was doing. He replied, "I am watching a man cut holes in the darkness." I see this as a marvelous picture of what our task should be as sharers of God's light--people who are busy cutting holes in the spiritual darkness of our world.

   --James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) pp. 178-179.

Dear Lord, give us the courage to share our faith simply and in a friendly manner. Give power to our words and our invitations. AMEN