With Christ Have I been crucified, yet I am living; no longer I, but living in me is Christ. Now that which I am now living in flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God, who loves me, and gives Himself up for me.
Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament
Not so long ago, a friend of mine was with his wife on a trip to Hawaii. During his vacation, he would often notice a man sitting in a local park with a sign declaring Jesus. One day, he finally decided to approach the man and engage him in a conversation about Jesus. Let's just say that the man in the park was not all that hospitable to conversation with others. How did my friend come to this conclusion? From the facial expression of the Jesus man, which instantly let him know that retreat was his best alternative at that point. I get it. In my job working with the local public, I have come across many a person who would rather be left alone. More often than not, these people will let you know this by the way they interact with you. I learned from a few early experiences how to judge people and their intentions. While nobody can predict what someone is going to do, more often than not people will send out signals that show that they are better left alone. So what does all of this mean in the world of talking to people about Jesus? Well, as my friend found out, a lot. There is no doubt that we are called to speak to those around us about Jesus. For lack of a better word, this is our evangel. I believe that each of us has our own personal ministry where we share what Jesus has done in our own lives. Be it someone who engages others in conversation, or one who sits on a street corner with a sign, the word of Jesus is being brought forth for the world to see. I am of the belief that others will see Jesus through those who believe in Him. When Jesus called His disciples to "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations," it might have not been clear as to what He meant. When we look at the definition of the word, we see that it refers to a follower or student of a teacher, leader or philosopher. Therefore, we are to create followers of Jesus wherever we go. Makes sense.
"Going, then, disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to be keeping all, whatever I direct you. And lo! I am with you all the days till the conclusion of the eon! Amen!"
Matthew 28: 19-20, Concordant New Testament
Not so long ago, an officer from one of our local police agencies took some time to talk to our work group about how to read people while we're out in the public in the midst of our work. As he explained it, there are those who will let you know in no uncertain terms that they don't want your company or conversation. This can be from facial expressions to someone simply walking away when you're in the vicinity. For law enforcement these signs might indicate someone they might wish to keep an eye on. For us, not so much. Again, this advice comes in handy when we take the opportunity to speak Jesus into the lives of others. The issue then becomes, those who need Jesus the most might just be those who never hear of Him. If the world will know Jesus from those who follow Him, then who is it that speaks to those who don't want to be spoken to? Can we honestly hope that somewhere along the line that someone will break through the walls people put up around themselves and share the revelation of Christ? Well, it's happened before. Here in Portland there are a few street ministries that try to address this need. While they may not be speaking the revelation of Christ to someone, they are exhibiting the love and grace which Jesus shared with those around Him. These are the ones who plant the seeds of new followers of Jesus
"You are the light of the world. A city located on a mountain cannot be hid. Neither are they burning a lamp and placing it under a peck measure, but on a lampstand, and it is shing to all those in the house. Thus let your light shine in front of men, so that they may perceive your ideal acts and should glorify your Father who is in the heavens."
Matthew 5: 14-16, Concordant New Testament
~Scott~
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