- ENVISION EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW GOD....I believer everyone I meet wants to know God. Everyone. No exception. The most shy or the most belligerent or the most negative will at some point want to know about God's most prized Truth. Every waitress, cashier, and neighbor...it can be trusted they will want to know Him. Such a faith transforms our view of where we live and who we live among.
- PLANT SEED....plant kingdom thoughts. Throw the seed to wind and let it land where it may. God is looking over the field. He'll run the show. Our job is to sow seed through praise of God and invitations to be a part of small groups or Sunday assemblies or church league basketball or a Bible study at our kitchen tables, etc.
- WATER WHAT YOU PLANT....When you've planted the seed of testimony of what God has done for you or you may have invited one to church, begin to water the seed with courtesy, interest, support, and friendliness. Let the cashier at Walgreens know you are one of the happiest people to ever enter their store. Speak to strangers. Water the seed others have planted by having a good day whether it is a good day or a bad day. Look like you have a God is inferior to nothing.
Midge Meloen entered her daughter's hospital room like a firestorm. I was in my second year of ministry. I lived scared; never knowing what to do. This new grandmother had learned her grandchild was dying and she was, understandably, a panic. I'd never met her or her daughter; the latter of whom I'd just been called to the hospital to minister to as she didn't have a church. When Midge set off her tirade of verbal fireworks and told me to get out, I did. But I didn't leave by simply leaving. I left in a polite, intentional way sowing seed of courtesy, respect, and understanding. I did not leave in a huff. I left with a purpose. I planted the seed of kingdom love by abiding by her rude outburst. I would not trade eye for eye. I would defy her intent with mine. She would one day need God.
The baby lived. I had visited with her daughter ever so briefly and didn't have a clue what to say. Ninety days later, Midge sent for me. She, now, was in the hospital. She called for me? I walked into her room (quite intimidated) and she reached her arms from her bed toward me and said, Oh Terry, why does God have to knock the props out from under me to get my attention? Midge was found to have cancer and was dying.
I studied with Midge and baptized her and her daughter who had the baby and her young niece who served as hospice. I buried Midge in January and then I buried Midge in February; the first in Christ, the second in the cemetery. She pegged it, God had moved in her life and the seed I planted in that dark and insulting hospital room three months earlier sprouted....God's way in God's timing for God's glory.
Reach out. You can do your part. He will do his. Plant and water everywhere you go. Everyone wants to know about God at some point in their life.
5 comments:
TR - on point, as usual... my buddies and I were discussing this very issue just last night... God calls us to see others like Jesus does, to treat them with mercy and grace...and to always be planting.
When a hurting person lashes out, I'm usually too busy caring about my feelings and my rights that I routinely miss those kingdom moments, choosing instead to say something cutting and sharp in response...
Thank you for encouraging us to 'love em like Jesus'!
I plant a lot of seeds. I don't see a lot of produce. But I trust God for that part of the task and keep planting and watering.
I think the intimadating part is when I think (like a salesman) I need some slam dunk arguments to "debate" someone into the Lord.
There is far less pressure when there is a relationship built over time that leads one to discipleship.
CWINWC
That's exactly what I found...fruit without pressure. And, when you think about it, how stressed do orchards seem? They simply do with ease that which God gifts them to do.
Evangelism, I've found, to be the opposite of what I'd imagined. It is not the answers/debate I can give which impresses and draws one in. It's the question which all I can do is say, "I don't know" that seems to unlock their heart toward me. Go figure.
Your so right Terry. The classic example of this is my good friend Chuck who is also our building Deacon.
10 years ago Chuck started attending our church with his wife. His wife had been baptized into Christ but Chuck wanted no part of it. Over the years we grew close to Chuck and Chuck over the years served our church at various functions.
A few times in that period I tried to "ease" Chuck into accepting Christ. He would quickly rebuke me saying that he would not be pressured. I told Chuck I respected his position and was only "checking in" to let him know I cared.
It was 2 years ago at the Pepperdine Lectures that Chuck shared with Greg and me his faith journey and how he was close to accepting Christ.
A few short weeks later Chuck came forward a disciple who had never been baptized into Christ. It was a neat day and a blessing to see Chuck end one journey to start a new journey of "follow-ship."
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