Why should we even take the time to reach out and touch other people’s lives? Aren’t they busy enough with their own lives? Do we really need to invade their privacy and lay another load of condemnation on them in hopes of making more converts? Many non-Christians would shout a hearty “NO” to that question!
I hope that’s not your goal in life, because if it is, then you’ve sadly misunderstood what God intended for his children to do. People build their lives upon foundational principles that they have learned in life – whether they were spiritual or not. These basic convictions are near and dear to people and usually won’t be changed by a Bible thumping, in your face, approach to sharing Christ. There is much more to sharing Christ than that.
As a matter of fact, Jesus felt relationships were really important because he loved people. And if he felt relationships were important, you and I should focus on building friendships so that we can earn the right to have those deeply spiritual conversations with people we care about. Did you catch that….with “people we care about?” Please, don’t just build a friendship because of what you can get out of it – that’s not a friendship – and that’s dishonest.
As Christians, you and I need to build relationships because we care. If you have children, you care about what they believe and how they act. You care about their decisions and try to help them when they allow you the opportunity. The same is true in reaching out to others in the name of Jesus Christ. If all we do is build friendships for what we can receive – another notch on our spiritual gun barrel, then what do we do when our new “friends” decide not to accept Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives? Do they cease to be your friends? I hope not!
The Scriptures tell us that Jesus wasn’t ashamed to hang around
sinners in order to share the Good News with them. Paul wrote a letter
to Timothy and said, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save
sinners—of whom I am the worst” (1 Timothy 1:15). Can you imagine…the
apostle Paul…confessing that he is the “worst” sinner? I don’t know
about you, but I don’t feel like I measure up to the apostle Paul very
well.
So remember as you strive to build friendships that God, in his
mercy, has showered His forgiveness upon us all…and longs to share it
with our non-Christian friends as well. He told us that in John chapter 3
verse 16. So don’t be afraid to reach out and make a new friend
today…and leave the results to God. He’s always faithful to provide
exactly what is needed!
