2 Timothy 4:2 “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season….”
Are you telling the good news about Jesus Christ as the Christmas carol admonishes us to do?
Statistics reveal 96% of believers will never lead another person to Christ. We seem to lack either the conviction or compassion to engage in spiritual conversations. We can become so focused on ourselves, that we fail to even see the needs around us.
Not only do we fail to initiate discussions about the gospel with those outside the church who may be headed to hell, we stop sharing what God has done in our lives with fellow believers. I was talking with someone the other day who told me when he first became a Christian and started attending church, he was surprised about how many conversations revolved around football and food. He was a young believer, hungry for stories about God. Now, thirty years later, he finds himself going to church talking about football and food.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with talking about football and food, or the news or work or family. But I had to ask myself, what do I think about most? My thoughts inevitably determine my conversations. So if I never talk about Jesus, maybe it’s because I’m squeezing him out.
My husband met a new hygienist at his dental appointment the other day. As they talked, she admitted how inadequate she felt about using the practice’s computer system. My husband jumped on it. He asked her if she believed God had led her to the job. “Yes,” she responded. He reminded her of God’s faithfulness, assuring her that if God was leading, he would equip her to do the job. It may seem like a small incident, but when he left, she couldn’t stop thanking him for what he said.
Paul exhorted Timothy to preach the word in season and out of season, whether convenient or inconvenient. I think Christmas offers us a pretty convenient season to remind folks about what the birth of Jesus means. If we don’t tell people about God who will?
The people in your sphere need to hear the good news about God. So go tell them. Tell them who he is and what he’s done in your life. Tell them at home, at work, at church. Wherever you go, tell them from the mountain, hills and everywhere.