2011-09-07 - Share the Good News

"Go everywhere and announce the message of God's good news to one and all?" (Mark 16:15, The Message).

Question to Consider: What opportunities do you have to share the news of Jesus with others? Where have opportunities arisen in your day-to-day activities, and what will you do next time an opportunity presents itself?

"What are you doing tonight?" my neighbor asked me. "I think I'm going to do laundry," I said, feeling like a very uncool, yet responsible, adult for even thinking about doing something so boring and domestic on a Saturday night. "Good luck," my neighbor said, as he got off the elevator. "Word got out about that washer that only takes one quarter, so it's been busy down there. Guess the secret's out."

"Was it a secret?" I asked. From his tone, I could tell my friend thought so. with me some time back, and of course, I'd been glad to know about the washer that cost 25 cents instead of the $1.25 the others cost. I knew my neighbor often snuck down to wash clothes in it several times a week since it was so cheap. "Have you told anyone else about it?" he asked, in an accusatory tone. "Sure, a couple people," I said. "I like letting people know about things like that." "Yeah, well, you're going to think differently when you can't ever find an open washer," were his parting words.

So my neighbor was annoyed with me. I knew he would get over it. It wasn't like I'd gone from door to door, telling everyone in our building. When there's an exciting piece of news like that, it tends to get around.

This little incident made me think about sharing my faith. I wondered if I treated my beliefs like a secret, afraid to mention Jesus and my relationship with Him to others. Do I only share the Good News with certain people, when I should be making sure everyone I come in contact with knows about it? After all, knowing Jesus is much more important than knowing you can do your laundry on the cheap if you use the one-quarter washer. Are there times when I'm thinking more about my own comfort, than about the needs of others, the way some people might keep quiet about the cheap washer, so they could make use of it more often? Mentioning it could mean I'm inconvenienced in some way, or that I can't always just focus on what is easiest, or most beneficial to me.

Like the one-quarter washer, if everyone who knows tells a few people, and those people tell several other people, a lot more activity is going to be going on in the laundry room. Wouldn't the same go for hearing about the Lord? When people hear about something that good, they are going to be eager to take action, and more and more people will have the chance to accept Christ as Lord and Savior. Just like people can get their clothes clean in the one-quarter washer, they can get their souls clean by seeking out a personal relationship with God. I need to let them know how to do that.

Of course, I know I should share as God leads, and that there are times when my actions need to speak louder than my words. Still, I know I've passed up opportunities to share my faith in natural ways. As Christians, the Bible tells us that we are to let others know about our faith. We are to pray for opportunities to talk about the difference God has had in our lives, and be ready at all times to talk about what the Bible teaches about salvation and true spirituality. I hope the dialogue I had with my neighbor, about the laundry room, will help each of us to remember how important it is to share the Good News with others. It's not a secret.

Lord, help me to be sensitive to opportunities to talk about You with others. When opportunities arise, please help me to speak as You lead, and to let those around me know about You. Thank You for the Good News.

Carmella
http://www.cfdevotionals.org