Matthew 5:13-16 (KJV) says- “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” 14You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
John 8:12 (KJV) says “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
Salt gives things flavor. We as Christians can flavor the world. If we are bland, no one wants a part of Christianity. We must be appealing to the world. If we are always down and out, complaining about stuff, not joyous in our afflictions, then no one will want what we have.
We must be the light, not the darkness.
The Sun never goes dark, the earth goes dark because it rotates away from the Sun. We are like the Earth. When we aren’t looking at the SON, and we turn away from HIM, we start walking in darkness instead of the light.
So, when someone see’s you as a Christian, what do they see??
Do they see your joy or your sadness? Do they see your bad attitude or a good attitude? Do they see light or darkness.
Do they hear words of discontent, hate, cursing or gossiping? OR do they hear you edifying your love for Christ? Joy in your words, love in your words, Peace in your words?
It is important that we understand that sharing Jesus isn’t just telling someone you’re a Christian or that you love Jesus. It is not telling them that what they are doing is wrong and sinful if they aren’t following Jesus. This turns people off. This makes them feel judged especially if our walk and talk aren’t lined up in the same way.
People are skeptical. We need to see proof of something before we buy in to it. If you have a friend selling a product and they are excited about it, you see a change in them whether it be a skin care line, health product or whatever, you get interested because you are seeing the results of that product. If you have another friend that is promoting something, and they are blowing up your messages and you’re not seeing a change, are you going to try that product?
Probably not!! I would probably block them….hahah.
Jesus is our product we are promoting. Grace and Mercy are what we are promoting. Hope is what we are promoting. Are our lives exhibiting Christ?
Some things for us to check is our Attitude, our words, our presentation of Christ and how we treat and talk about others.
The world is looking for reasons to be non-Christian. We hold the titles of Hypocrites. WHY???
Because we do not practice what we preach.
BUT……we need to still be real and raw with people in order to get their trust and win them to Christ. Be yourself so that that other person can be themselves.
Be relatable so that people are comfortable. We can’t always be sunshine and Rainbows. When we come off that way, people are more likely to steer clear of us because we appear that we never go through trials. We come off as sheltered. We come off as “high and mighty”. We come off as never really experiencing anything hard or bad. But when we share our trials and tribulations but also how we trust Jesus to get us through them, then they can watch how we handle those. That is the best way to share Jesus. We must make sure that they see that Peace is not the absence of trials but the presence of Jesus.
How we treat people and how we act is our biggest testimony.
So, be careful with your actions and words because you don’t know who is listening or watching you.
We are not perfect, and we cannot appear to be in order to attract people to Jesus.
Proverbs 15:26 (KJV)-The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked, but gracious words are pure in his sight.
Proverbs 16:24 (NIV)-Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
People are more receptive in hearing something from someone they trust and love then a stranger on the street. So, make your words sweet, kind and edifying of Christ.
Our biggest witness tool is us. It’s our faith and how we navigate through life with it.
Colossians 4:5-6 (NLT) says Live wisely among those who are not believers and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.
Tips for sharing: (taken from https://outreachmagazine.com/features/evangelism/40721-natural-ways-to-share-jesus-with-others.html)
- Have more conversations and fewer confrontations.
(Posture yourself toward a dialogue rather than engaging in a battle for truth.)
- Being an inviting person is more important than being a convincing person.
(Do not choose to sacrifice our access to others to the expense of being assured by others we are right. It causes us to lose touch but also isolates us as well. Grace is inviting and not imposing so let grace lead the way and truth will back you up when necessary.)
- Passion is the key to a message worth listening to
(A genuine passion for Jesus, who he is and what he stands for is critical when sharing authentically with other)
- Stop categorizing people.
(Jesus created meaningful relationships with society’s sinners and outcasts. Many Christians, without realizing it, shame and condescend others by creating a rigid exclusivity that over time can be hard to penetrate by someone who lacks faith)
- Live a lifestyle of generosity
(Find ways to be a blessing to others. This not only blesses you and produces incredible fruit in your own life because of your own giving, but it shows the world that your actions line up with what you say. It shows you walk your talk)
- Choose integrity in all circumstances
(Don’t compromise your beliefs. Be honest, truthful and have credibility. It is who you are when no one is looking and who you are when everyone is looking that not only defines your faith but speaks a message)
- Model Forgiveness
(The ability to forgive quickly and often is one of the most powerful ways to show how Christianity really works. That kind of forgiveness of loving your enemies and forgiving quickly is authentic proof Jesus is who he says he is)
- Live Vulnerably
(Being authentic is showing an unhidden you but being vulnerable is not just showing who you are but revealing the broken parts of you. Sharing the broken parts of your life creates common ground for the gospel to be planted.)
- Be extremely hospitable
(So, you invited someone to church, and they didn’t come. Now what? Invite them to your home and share a meal with them, and then share Jesus with them. But don’t ambush them.)
Don’t be afraid to say you don’t know the answer to something. We are more relatable when we are not acting like a Theologian but instead a real person that doesn’t know everything. People appreciate that honesty and know that you’re not going to try to just word vomit something to them.
Some things that I like to do to show Jesus
- Send a card with a note in it and then a scripture at the bottom, handwritten. This shows that person that you took the time to write it out with them on your mind.
- Invite someone out for coffee and then ask them how they are doing. But listen when they speak and don’t interrupt them. Let them talk. When they are done, tell them something about yourself that relates to them. Then talk about how Jesus got you through it etc.
- Tell someone you love them, and Jesus does to.
- Be vulnerable. It’s hard but God gives us the strength to do this.
- Pray for someone. Your enemy…. pray blessings on them, your friend….pray blessings over them, someone you just don’t like…..pray blessings over them.
- Be prepared to share Jesus in any circumstance. Whether you just tell someone you’re praying for them, give them a word of encouragement, write a scripture on a gum wrapper or give them a gift. I remember one time that I complimented a lady’s ring….it was beautiful….it wasn’t real but still beautiful…..a few minutes later she walked up and told me that God told her to gift it to me. I was shocked but I will never forget that act of kindness or obedience to God.
- Do not turn down a gift if someone wants to give it to you. That is a blessing for them to give and a blessing for you to receive. Unless it’s something bad of course.
- Send a text to someone that God placed them on your heart, and you were thinking about them and praying for them. Sometimes……this is exactly what that person needs, and they see how God works through you. Then follow that with a prayer over them.
- Be generous. This doesn’t have to be with just money or material things, its time, love, compassion…..all of the things that represent Jesus.
- BE AVAILABLE!!!! Be available for that person if they need you. You do not have to give them all your time and if they are toxic and you are starting to feel the toxicity creep into your own life, limit that time. Set boundaries. But do it with love.
- LOVE PEOPLE like Jesus does. Loving people like that does not mean you condone their actions. It means your love for them is greater than their sin. It means you love them enough to share Jesus with them without judgement. It means you love them enough to show compassion while still being vulnerable enough to show them how you were maybe once in their shoes but how Jesus picked you up out of the pit and placed you on higher ground.
Something to start the conversation about Jesus could be similar to this…..Let me tell you what He did for me in my stupidity, what His mercy saved me from and held me through (Shea Stockard).
We are HOPE DEALERS!!! God’s reflection in us shows others that they do not have to navigate this life alone. It show’s them that there is HOPE for today…..HOPE for tomorrow and HOPE for eternity. We must show them through our words and actions that GOD is good. That everything GOOD comes from GOD. That we are never alone. That we will experience trials and tribulations, but we do no have to be floating out in the sea of life alone with no life preserver or life boat because GOD is our life preserver. Most of all…..Show them LOVE like JESUS!!!!!
alwaysacountrygirl 