Matthew
5:14-16
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be
hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.
Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in
the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that
they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Jesus
is touching on a very delicate subject... influencing others. Social
convention has us treat church-going as a private affair. This is
far from what Jesus taught. For many, the topic of evangelism makes
us cringe.
We
associate evangelism with the "shouters" and the
"debaters." The shouters want us to hear the good news and
like a frustrated tourist they keep saying it louder and louder until
we learn their language. The debaters tell us that they are
interested in a discussion about faith, but really they just want to
tell us what to do. Neither of these methods is very effective.
Instead,
try a simple invitation. Jesus would say to his followers, “Come
and See.” This might be as simple as inviting an out-of-town guest
to come to church with you or offering another family to join your
family for Easter or Palm Sunday. Even if they decline, you have
honored them by asking and have shown your love toward them.
Dear
Lord, give me the confidence and courage to display my faith in
public. Help me to remember to invite others to your house now and
then. Amen.
Dan
Reeves
No comments:
Post a Comment