AN ENCOURAGER
When I was a child and a young Christian I was told that my Christian witness was - to be different from the other children. I didn't swear, didn't drink, didn't dance, didn't smoke or go to movies; you know, all the things I didn't or wasn't allowed to do. I was also to be different by - going to Sunday School and church every Sunday, by learning Scripture verses, by saying grace before meals in public, by doing good works, by_____________ (add your own) etc. etc. etc. I don't recall leading a friend to Christ through this method. Rather I recall having a sense of being just a little bit better than others!
Over the years I've gone door to door to hand out tracts, to introduce our church and to invite to special events at the church or in the community. I prayed for some people, but I don't recall anyone coming to the knowledge of Christ this way either.
In my adult years I found that taking the time to listen to someone in need, showing someone an unexpected kindness, speaking out against injustice, writing notes of encouragement, keeping confidences, having a cheerful, positive attitude, giving a generous tip, offering to pray for someone whose family member was dying, opened more doors to sharing my faith with people - and usually at their request. I felt that the Lord had gifted me to sow seeds through being an encourager and HE would do the rest.
I honestly don't know how deeply I've influenced people and I don't have any numbers of those who have decided to follow Jesus because of my testimony. Perhaps that's not for me to know. I just tried to show God's love to people in the way I knew how. Whomever the Lord sends across my path today is who He wants me to touch - today.
I do recall that in several friendships with brothers and sisters in Christ, HE gave opportunity for mentoring, for discipling, for admonishing, and for boldly speaking out to help someone in their faith journey. In helping and serving the other, I, too, was blessed.
Just the other day a colleague, an agnostic she told me, was showing such compassion and caring to someone. I shared with her that I knew the source of this personality trait. I told her that her compassion and caring was a gift from God given to her to give to others. She smiled as though I had identified something for her that she had not recognized before. It seemed like a light went on! I know that God is working in her life, even through the fact that she is working at this Christian nursing home.
I just know that I'm not the sharpest or best instrument, but in the Hands of the Master, I pray that I will be useful! He is the One who is all-knowing and has all the power.
Over the years I've gone door to door to hand out tracts, to introduce our church and to invite to special events at the church or in the community. I prayed for some people, but I don't recall anyone coming to the knowledge of Christ this way either.
In my adult years I found that taking the time to listen to someone in need, showing someone an unexpected kindness, speaking out against injustice, writing notes of encouragement, keeping confidences, having a cheerful, positive attitude, giving a generous tip, offering to pray for someone whose family member was dying, opened more doors to sharing my faith with people - and usually at their request. I felt that the Lord had gifted me to sow seeds through being an encourager and HE would do the rest.
I honestly don't know how deeply I've influenced people and I don't have any numbers of those who have decided to follow Jesus because of my testimony. Perhaps that's not for me to know. I just tried to show God's love to people in the way I knew how. Whomever the Lord sends across my path today is who He wants me to touch - today.
I do recall that in several friendships with brothers and sisters in Christ, HE gave opportunity for mentoring, for discipling, for admonishing, and for boldly speaking out to help someone in their faith journey. In helping and serving the other, I, too, was blessed.
Just the other day a colleague, an agnostic she told me, was showing such compassion and caring to someone. I shared with her that I knew the source of this personality trait. I told her that her compassion and caring was a gift from God given to her to give to others. She smiled as though I had identified something for her that she had not recognized before. It seemed like a light went on! I know that God is working in her life, even through the fact that she is working at this Christian nursing home.
I just know that I'm not the sharpest or best instrument, but in the Hands of the Master, I pray that I will be useful! He is the One who is all-knowing and has all the power.
Comments
Blessings,Ruth
Thank you for that!!
Thank you for your kind comments on my blog. You may certainly use my post "A fine line" as you see fit. I feel that we are put on this earth to share and to help one another. I have learned so much through blogging.
Blessings.
My first time here, and I'm so glad. Thanks for spurring me on to this kind of lifestyle. Have you read "Living Proof" or "The Insider"?
Thinking much about this kind of thing lately.
Blessed to find your place,
Monica
As a child, I so often experienced the judgmental side of Christianity (and some of my "friends" were so... materialistic ... about it ("ask and you shall receive" and "if you are devout, 'God will provide'" - almost implying that if my family wasn't rich it was because we didn't pray enough)) that I was very turned off by organized religion.
The kind words and actions of Christians I have met in more recent times, Christians who seem to practice a more loving, less judgmental, and less materialistic variety of Christianity, have restored my faith, if not in organized religion, then at least in God himself.