When you are around an unbeliever, you will not always have the time or opportunity to share the whole Gospel. How can you press your love of Christ up against that person and leave a God impression?
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada with a great word from Colossians 4.
And it’s not only a great word, these are practical words. The fifth verse in Colossians 4 says – now listen to this – “Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone.”
Oh, my goodness, this verse is so “right on.” Because in our culture, we Christians have to live wisely. I mean, we have to make the most of every opportunity. And when we get in conversations with people who don’t follow Jesus, our words just have to be gracious, but also effective. So just how do we make the name of Jesus famous? How do we – you know – talk him up, point people to him in creative and wise ways? Well, let me answer that with this crazy little illustration here. Have you ever played with Silly Putty? I’m sure you have. It’s that pink, rubbery clay that comes in a plastic egg. And you know how you press it against an image – like, you know, a comic strip – and it’ll copy that picture onto the putty?
Well, I often think of that illustration when I want to leave what I call “God impressions” on unbelievers. Because you and I are not always going to have the time or the opportunity to tell your entire testimony or give the whole Gospel to someone, so you and I have to find a way to press our love of Christ up against that person. Maybe it’s just a smile and a “God bless your day,” or returning a kindness with, “Hey, thanks for helping me, and you know what? The next time you’re near a Bible, look up Hebrews 6:10, ’cause that is you!” I mean, it’s got them running for a Bible, right? Often, I’m able to leave a God impression on someone by singing a hymn. People see me in this wheelchair, hear me singing praises to God, and they kind of put two and two together, wondering, “Where in the world does her joy come from?” I know that when I travel on airplanes and a gate agent helps me with my wheelchair, my husband and I always tell him, “Did you know that you were prayed for this morning? Really, on the way to the airport in the van, we asked God to give us someone just like you, and here you are: an answer to our prayers!” And they smile; they’re so blessed. Then Ken usually slips a Gospel tract to him with my testimony on it, and what do you know, we’ve left a good impression about Jesus.
It is a way of pressing my life up against theirs for a brief moment so that when I peel away I have left a God impression on that person – however brief or fleeting it may have been. And once a person encounters the Lord, they find themselves itching for something more, thirsty for something this world can’t offer, hungry for something this world can’t satisfy. It’s one way to witness, especially if you will not see these people you encounter again. Find a way to convey the love of Christ to the people in your community that you come across; the people who serve you or help you: bag boys, check-out clerks, bank tellers, workers at your favorite restaurant, your mailman, people who work on your office floor, or gate agents at airports. Again, Colossians 4 says, “Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone.”
And hey, I want you to go over to my radio page today at joniradio.org and ask for our Joni and Friends newsletter. It’s filled with opportunities for you to serve people with disabilities in the name of Jesus. Oh, and I have to add one more thing: just love Jesus, because nothing pleases the Father more.
© Joni and Friends