The truth is, we all do.

There is not a human being on this planet who does not need Jesus Christ. While it is not in our power as individuals (or even as church groups) to give everyone what they truly need from God, it is in our power to share what we know.

I do not believe that some Christians are born to to tell everyone about Jesus while others are destined to be silent. I think that God enables every saint of God to share Christ in some meaningful way. Mostly, we are (all of us) more timid about doing things we've never done before. But anyone can talk to friends, neighbors, loved ones and total strangers about Jesus Christ.

I was nervous when I first tried to drive a car. I think I was even more afraid the first time I turned on my own computer. I was sure I would do something wrong and ruin the thing.

I'm sure I was a little nervous the first time I talked to someone about the Lord. But mostly I was excited. I wanted everyone I knew to know what had happened to me, and I wanted them to have the same wonderful experience. Most of my old friends did not want to know what had happened to me. Seeing the Bible in my hands was enough for them. They were exactly as I had been before the Lord changed my heart. But I kept sharing anyway.

When it comes time to share Christ with loved ones or strangers we need to remember the promises and kindness of God. The Lord Jesus is with us. The Spirit of God is in us to guide us and use us for good planting, watering and harvesting. We may sow lots of seed into many hearts before we ever see any signs of good fruit. We may share Christ for years before anything happens to encourage us on. But God is working.

God is working, no matter what we see or hear or think or feel. God is working in the lives of everyone we know and everyone we will ever meet. He does not wait for us to be born and get saved, and to finally come along with the gospel, to begin His work of grace. But He does delight in using us to sow good seed, to water what others have sown, and to sometimes bring in a harvest.

Never doubt and never forget that God is working in Christ to reconcile the world to Himself. That work began long before the Lord Jesus went to the cross, and it will continue until every lost lamb is safely home. Everyone needs Jesus, and the Lord will use every means to help them to see that need and to eventually respond to it in faith.

Don't be afraid to share your faith, to tell others what Christ has done — and is doing — in your life. You may never be a preacher, a teacher, or a theologian, but you can always be a sower of the good seed of the Gospel. There are countless ways to spread the Word. Some folks use printed Gospel messages (such as tracts or booklets). Some people use get-togethers in the home, backyard cookouts, or they invite friends to church activities, retreats, VBS or Christian concerts.

Be real and be natural. Everyone talks to their friends, fellow students, and coworkers about something. We talk about our cars, our family, our other friends, our hobbies and the things that make us different. People share food ideas, favorite movies, TV shows, gathering places (such as restaurants or clubs), clothing preferences, computer preferences (and problems), and all kinds of stuff.

When a Christian talks about their faith, that is also natural. In fact, something is weird if we don't talk about our faith in some natural context. Sharing is not preaching or condemning or even defending the faith. It is opening our hearts and lives just a little to let others take a peek inside.

When you share your faith, take the time to point out (and to show by your lifestyle) that your walk with Jesus Christ is not just a church activity or a merely religious thing. People today are hungry for reality. Everyone is weary of all the hype that comes with the "programs" people use to promote their MLM products, their used cars, their political causes, and so on.

Don't rely on canned hype when sharing Christ. be real. Talk about the reality of your faith and your spiritual life. Be honest. Let your compassion show (it is actually God's Holy Spirit and compassion working inside of you). Don't be afraid to care about the people all around you. That's a good thing.

Pray for the Lord to use you, and then look for opportunities to simply share what you know, and what you have freely received from the Lord. No one really needs a special class on sharing Christ with other people.

Be as simple and real as one grateful man long, long ago (see John's Gospel, chapter 9) dared to be. When asked by the curious and the religious leadership about what had happened to him, he said simply, "I was blind, but now I see."

God's best to you.

Jim
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