Glad Tithings

Does the idea of sharing your faith make you uncomfortable? Do you shrink from opportunities to tell how God has changed your life? Do you think witnessing is for mature Christians only, not new believers like you?

Whether you've known the Lord for 10 years or 10 days, I believe you're called to share your faith with others. This is an area where the Lord wants all of us to stretch ourselves.

I still remember the first time I shared my newfound faith with an unbeliever. It was terribly difficult. And so was the second time and the third time. Even now, it is sometimes hard, especially with people I know well. And speaking with relatives can be the toughest of all.

Speaking to Strangers

If it's hard to talk with people you know, begin with strangers instead. If it's hard to discuss your faith face to face, take advantage of the telephone. When strangers call, you have a terrific chance to share your faith with someone you may never see or talk with again.

One of the best opportunities is those nightly calls from telephone solicitors. My phone rings three to eight times every evening with calls from these strangers. Most sales calls are now dialed electronically. That's why you usually hear a pause between the time you pick up and say "Hello" and when the solicitor responds to your greeting. I usually just hang up during that interval to avoid offending the solicitor as well as interrupting whatever I'm doing. However, not long ago, while I was cooking dinner, I decided that I would take the next sales call I got and present the gospel to whoever was calling.

Offering Salvation to Solicitors

I keep a copy of a little tract called "Steps to Peace with God" (also known as "The Four Spiritual Laws") next to each of our phones so that when I do feel the Lord's leading, I'm ready. I checked to be sure my tract was in place and waited. Just as I was ready to take the spaghetti off the stove, the phone rang. I eagerly picked it up and waited for the pause to end and the solicitor to speak. He was promoting credit cards, one of my least favorite items.

I asked him to wait a moment while I took dinner off the stove. I let him hear the timer go off and my call to Pat to serve the dinner while I took the phone call. I'm sure he was amazed to hear that I would rather talk with him than eat my dinner while it was hot. I returned to the phone, and he began his spiel. I interrupted only long enough to ask him if he would take the time to listen to me when he had completed his presentation. He hesitated and then agreed.

After he finished his presentation, I told him I would consider his request to apply for the credit card he was offering. Then I asked him if he was ready to listen to me, and he said he was. I read "Steps to Peace with God," which takes about seven minutes. When I got to the question, "Is there any good reason why you cannot receive Jesus Christ right now?", he said no there wasn't. I asked him if he would like to pray a prayer with me, and he said he couldn't do that because he was part of a telephone bank, with other solicitors all around him. I asked if he would like me to pray the prayer aloud and leave time for him to pray it silently after me. He said he would and so we did.

Afterwards, I asked him if he had sincerely asked Jesus to come into his life, and he said he had. I then asked him where Jesus was right now, and he said inside of him. I asked what he had as a result of that, and he said eternal life. I asked him if he had ever prayed a similar prayer, and he said no, he had not. I then asked him for his home address and phone number so I could follow up. He said company policy prohibited him from releasing that information, so I gave him my office number and asked him to call me if he ever had any questions. He lives in South Dakota but was calling for a company headquartered in Nebraska. Please pray for Chris in South Dakota.

Taking Advantage of Opportunities

This is not the first time I've witnessed to solicitors, and certainly not all of them responded so openly and positively to the gospel. I've also talked with Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons and people from many different backgrounds. Yet I've never been treated rudely or had anyone express resentment or unwillingness to hear me out. In fact, most thank me for taking the time to share with them. So often, we're reluctant to share because we fear personal rejection. But in fact, that anticipated rejection rarely occurs. If we fail to speak out, we may miss the opportunity to be the instrument God uses to bring his children into his kingdom.

The outcome of the conversation is up to the Lord. Some will accept Christ, as Chris did. Others may listen politely and then dismiss your words as they move on to the next sales call. Still others will ponder what you've said, and the seed you've planted may spring to life later when someone else waters it. It's not the results that count. So leave them in God's patient and loving hands.

The point is, God wants us to become comfortable with sharing our faith, with acknowledging our relationship with Him. And one of the easiest ways to become more comfortable is to begin with strangers. If you believe the Lord wants you to make progress in this area of your spiritual life, why not try witnessing to the next solicitor who catches you. You can get a copy of the "Steps to Peace" tract from the CSM office–and then you can order more if you find it helpful.

Don't miss out on the blessing you can receive–and the blessing you can be to someone else–by neglecting this area of Christian growth. You have the opportunity to practice almost every day. Seize one of those opportunities the next time you pick up the phone and hear a pause on the other end.

© 1999 by Christian Stewardship Ministries, 10523 Main Street, Fairfax, Virginia 22030. Telephone (703) 591-5000, fax (703) 273-1795, e-mail ken@csmin.org