Evangelism is a cornerstone of life as a Christian yet for many it is something that intimidates many to silence. jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, (Matthew 5:13-16):

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.“

We are meant to be salt in the earth…to preserve all that is good…to help others see God just as we were helped to see Him by others. Jesus goes on to say that we are the light of the world that can’t (and most definitely shouldn’t) be hidden. It is when we allow ourselves to become light that God is glorified.

Many people get clammed up when the opportunities to witness comes about and while much of that is a fear of man and desiring approval from man and not God (something we all struggle with in some form or fashion) in this post I want to share a valuable lesson God taught me about evangelism.

I was at work with an empty store when a customer came in and we began talking about faith and life. This guy in his early 20′s whose father is a pastor in the city, shared we me that he was trying to find how God fit in his life now. I seized the opportunity and began to encourage him to keep seeking God and I had been there myself in finding out how faith in God fit into the equation of my life. It was a great opportunity that I initially thought went well.

It wasn’t until a couple of hours later on my break that God dropped this challenge in my heart:

“Did I share a word based from my experience with God or did I share a word from heaven?”

I realized that in talking with that customer that I didn’t rely on God to hear from Him as I should have but I spoke simply from my past relationship with God. It’s not that I did anything wrong but I believe it is important to realize the moments when people require more than just to hear a part of your experience with God but when they need to hear from Him directly. In those times, it’s key to not rush and take the time to listen to the direction the Spirit leads you in your heart. Sometimes these moments overlap but I learned from this that, at times, there is a clear distinction so next time an opportunity presents itself I challenge you to think about this and ask yourself: What are you sharing?