Day 12: Don’t let your weakness hold you back
I would like to share with you about someone. This person doesn’t even have a name in the Bible. All we know is that she was a Samaritan woman.
“’But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.’” (John 4:14-15)
When the woman met Jesus at the well, she longed to receive the Gospel and experience life that comes from the Living Water. Her transformation attracted many to follow her and seek Jesus at the well, and many came to know Jesus because of her.
How about you? Has anyone come to know Jesus because of you?
Some Christians think that sharing the Gospel is the responsibility of a pastor or leader. Some may even think that they do not have the gift of evangelism, so they just pray faithfully.
While praying is indeed important, sharing the Gospel proactively is just as important. Some people are indeed specifically gifted in this area, but even those without this gift are given this mission to preach the Gospel.
Evangelism is a gift to all, and every believer has the responsibility to lead others to Christ.
How about you? Has anyone come to know Jesus because of you?
Perhaps you’ve had past failures where you poured your heart out when sharing the Gospel with someone. But not only did the person reject you, he also lashed out at you.
But please do not be discouraged by this. After all, we have done our part. How do you know that beneath your listener’s tough appearance, his heart wasn’t touched or inspired?
Every time the Gospel reaches someone, the Holy Spirit moves in his or her heart.
Are you willing?
Many years ago, I had an opportunity to share my testimony with a stranger sitting next to me on a plane.
At that time, he was dismissive of what I said and even started a heated debate with me, to the point where the flight attendant had to come over and remind us to keep our voices down.
I wasn’t able to convince him, so I just handed him my name card and told him that he could contact me if he wanted to visit a church. You know what? After eight years, I received a call from him, and he told me that he had come to know God!
Over the past eight years, he had been through many hardships and even faced life-threatening situations. Throughout these experiences, he would often remember what I had told him on the plane about Jesus loving him.
The Gospel is the power of God, and not a word in it is without power. Therefore, Jesus instructed Paul to follow the truth: “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent.” (Acts 18:9)
Of course, some of us may feel that we are not good enough and not qualified to preach the Gospel, because we are afraid of stumbling others.
The Samaritan woman deliberately chose to draw water at noon to avoid the crowd, because she knew that she was a notorious adulteress. But after she met Jesus, John tells us, “Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, ‘Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?’” (John 4:28-29)
The Gospel was not hindered by the woman’s immorality. Instead, her witness made people curious about Jesus and attracted them to seek Him.
Evangelism is a gift to all, and every believer has the responsibility to lead others to Christ.
I must admit that I, too, have many weaknesses in my life, and I am always deeply aware of how unworthy I am.
But what is the Gospel?
I love the explanation by one pastor: “We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.”
We can humbly admit our weaknesses and have the faith to repent continually, and this is also being a witness to the Gospel. Our goal is to preach Jesus, not ourselves.
Jesus’ life is perfect, and it can withstand the questions and scrutiny of the unbelieving.
So it is not a matter of whether you are able to share the Gospel, but whether you are willing.
There are many people in this world who cannot see a future. Even behind the most glamorous appearances, there may be a headache and helplessness behind every smile.
Their lives are like ours before we knew Christ, or like the Samaritan woman who needed to meet Jesus. Does anyone come to your mind?
Please take the time to meet up with others, to share with them who Jesus is and what He has done for you.
I would also encourage you to make good use of your social media platforms, to share and forward suitable testimony stories to family and friends who have yet to know God.
Remember, there is “a time to plant and a time to uproot”. (Ecclesiastes 3:2)
Let’s pray together:
Dear Father, thank You for loving us and choosing us. Every mark You make in our lives is a sign of grace. Help us to be more proactive in sharing the Gospel. Give us wisdom and strength, so that we will no longer focus on ‘Am I able?’ but ‘Am I willing?’
All these we pray in the victorious name of Jesus Christ, Amen.