Whether it’s first thing in the morning, at the watercooler later in the day, break time or lunch time, invariably someone is going to say to you, “Did you hear about …,” and although the topic, or subject matter may or may not be all that important to them, your response to them more than likely will be.
“To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” (1st Cor. 9:22)
This cannot be stressed enough my friends, if you want to reach people for Christ you must listen to them while they are speaking, and you must also realize this truth, all they are going to talk about is the things of this world.
Does that mean you must be at least moderately informed about nearly everything? Of course not, for no matter what the subject matter is, you already know the most important part about it, it is temporal, not eternal.
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2)
There are those who are easily led astray in this area today, and many of them have been born-again, not so much in whatever topic is brought up, not in the “Did you hear about” scenario, but in the matter of becoming more than friendly, in being friends with those who are still in darkness.
How many have you met that profess to know the Almighty, yet fear to speak of Him for fear of possibly losing that friendship, or even a family member? How many can converse about the endless supply of earthly, temporal matters for hours, yet will never speak a word, even in context, of the Scriptures?
Is the possible loss of a friend because of the Word of God the same as being embarrassed for His name?
Is there a proper “place and time” to break the ice, as it is called, or is it best just to pray for them and hope the Holy Spirit works in their life and then, one day, hopefully, perhaps one day they will say something like, “You go to church, don’t you?”
This topic comes up often in these letters, for I have stood in numerous churches over the decades, and the before and after service conversations have rarely been about the Almighty, about the Lord Jesus Christ, the workings of the Holy Spirit in people’s lives, but instead has almost always revolved around the things of this world.
I asked an elderly woman the other day, one in her early eighties, who has lived in this area her entire life, an area with dozens of churches, whose husband was a pastor until he died, how many people over the course of her life had initiated a conversation about our Lord with her.
The answer was none.
And she began to cry when the truth was revealed to her.
If you can think of a different word beside either hypocrites or embarrassed, let me know.
“And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.” (Mark 4:19)
Calm assurance, until the storm breaks, lips that praise only on Sunday morning, ears that cannot, will not hear.
Eighty plus years my friends, many of them sitting in both Evangelical churches and buildings where works are professed as the way, and not one person ever initiated a conversation with her about Him whom they say they love.
But the world and the things of it they are well versed in, at least well enough to offer an opinion on whatever they believe is relevant today.
And you? Are you consumed by and with Him whom you say you serve and love, can a day go by that you do not in some way lift up His name to others, encouraging, correcting, teaching or admonishing?
Is it possible to be born-again and never speak of Him to anyone?
Today we give them an out, a pass, we call them the weaker brothers and sisters in Christ and expect no fruit in this area.
They don’t have to go out into all the world, that’s the pastor’s job, right?
