
Last year I wanted to buy a French Press coffee maker. I broke mine and needed a new one. I had an Amazon Gift card, so I did what any sane person would do—I visited Amazon.com! But I didn't simply look at the company's product description. I carefully read the customer reviews. Their positive reviews and five-star ratings convinced me to purchase a particular French Press.
Customer reviews are what we used to call "testimonials." They are personal stories about how the product affected a customer's life. Some experts claim that up to 85 percent of shoppers trust customer reviews.
Of course, Jesus is not a "product" for sale. But if thousands of people can offer their honest and heartfelt customer reviews, why are so many Christians reluctant to tell their story of how Jesus has changed their life?
If you had the cure for cancer or HIV/AIDS and kept it to yourself while millions suffered and died, would you be loving? No!
Love cares about the destiny of others.
As believers in Jesus Christ, we have the answer to man’s sin problem. We have the Good News of how a person can be forgiven by God and receive the gift of eternal life. We have the message of God's love. We dare not keep this news to ourselves.
But before you start preaching to people about Jesus, you may want to heed the counsel of the Apostle Paul.
In Colossians 4:2-6, Paul shares three ways we can become effective in introducing others to Jesus.
1. Be Prayerful.
"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. " (Colossians 4:2-4, ESV).
We ought to pray for opportunities to share the love and story of Jesus with others. Paul likened these opportunities to open doors. He wanted God to open the door for him to share the Good News of Jesus. When have you last prayed that God would give you an opportunity to clearly share your faith?
2. Be Careful.
"Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time" (Colossians 4:5, ESV).
Everything you say or do is a witness for or against Christ. You will either be a help or a hindrance to people coming to faith in Jesus. The question is not IF you are a witness for Jesus. The question is what kind of witness are you for Jesus? Are you a help or a hindrance? Are you a stepping-stone or a stumbling block for those who need to come to Jesus?
Be careful how you live and speak. Don't be a disgrace to God's grace in the eyes of unbelievers. Make sure your social media posts don't hinder your witness for Christ.
We need God's wisdom to guide our steps, control our conduct, and direct our conversations. This wisdom comes from God through His Word the Bible. This wisdom is lived out through the power of the Holy Spirit.
“Making the best use of time” means we make the most of every opportunity God gives us to share a Word about Jesus. To do this we need to become sensitive and careful to notice the opportunities. Ask God to open your eyes to see the daily opportunities He gives to share a brief word about Him. Look for opportunities to share how Jesus is making a difference in your life.
3. Be Graceful.
"Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person" (Colossians 4:6, ESV).
Paul instructs us that our speech is to always be gracious. Our words should be kind, gentle, considerate, spiritual, fitting, truthful and loving. We are not to be PREACHY or PUSHY when talking to people about Jesus. We are to be pleasant and kind.
People are never argued into the family of God. People are never bullied or insulted into the family of God. Simply find ways to sprinkle the Gospel into conversations.
Begin each day with this prayer. “Jesus help me to love and see people like you do. Help me to share with someone today how they can trust you as their Lord and Savior.”
Comment below how you can apply these principles today?
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”