“Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News! If I were doing this on my own initiative, I would deserve payment. But I have no choice, for God has given me this sacred trust. What then is my pay? It is the opportunity to preach the Good News without charging anyone. That’s why I never demand my rights when I preach the Good News. … When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.”
Those verses were read in church on Sunday as part of a sermon about how we’re all called to share the gospel. We have a team of people who take turns speaking and teaching each Sunday and we’ve been studying the verses outlined at Lectionary.com. I like the way each week is different, which, really, kind of makes me laugh. I’m a little Type A, which you know if you’ve been around here for any amount of time.
Anyway, so Speaker Jim outlined three ways to stay mission focused ::
1. Pray and prepare.
2. Actively seek non-believers.
3. Boldly share your testimony.
My first thought? I need to do a better job with this.
My second thought? Well, it was more than one thought, but I found myself thinking about motherhood.
We are all indeed called to share the gospel. As a mom, my mission field is right in front of me. {Tweet that.} It’s sitting at my kitchen table right now was a type – one is doing second-grade homework, the other is snacking and wanting his sister to hurry up and finish her homework.
I often say I want to raise independent kids who know Jesus. But that’s not enough. I can’t assume my kids will know Jesus. I need to led them to him. {Tweet that.}
Yes, we should all share the gospel with neighbors and co-workers and relatives and new friends and old friends and anyone else we meet. Sharing doesn’t mean forcing. But we all have a story. And I believe Jesus’ redemption is the foundation of mine – so why should I keep that good news to myself?
That story – and there are oh-so many chapters – can be shared right here. Right at this table where we gather in the mornings and afternoons and evenings. It’s also not the kind of story I tell one time and then file away as complete.
We spend time with Christian friends, go to church, and read the Bible at home. Our kids attend a private, Christian school that teaches God is the foundation of everything – even math problems.
But I still have to share the gospel with my kids – over and over again. Most people don’t decided to follow Jesus after hearing about him once. Believing is often a process and building faith comes with time.
I’ve been praying about a mission trip to Guatemala Greg, Cate and I are going on in July. I want my heart and mind to be prepared. I want to be able to love on these strangers with a love that comes only from God. This trip is us seeking out how to actively share God’s love – the foundation of our story – with others.
That’s a good thing. I’m praying the trip will allow God’s love seep down so deep in Cate’s heart that she’ll remain changed and be spurred on to share the good news with others. But I can’t become so focused beyond the walls of my house that I neglect to share the gospel to the people closest to me.
I want to show them who Jesus is. I want to show them why Momma needs Jesus too. I want them to know how to seek truth while living in the chaos of this world. I want to stay mission focused so we can all love Jesus more.
Hey, #ThreeWordWednesday friends, I have a couple giveaways happening right now I thought you may be interested in. First of all, my 7-year-old girl wrote her first-ever book review and shared it Monday. Be sure to enter to win a copy of “Rasmus and the Vagabond” by Astrid Lindegren, the creator of Pippi Longstocking. Also, it’s Valentine’s Week, so I wanted to love on my friends with a giveaway of some things I love. Come join in that fun.
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