‘I am not ashamed of the gospel’. Romans 1:16
When I read that verse, I feel a mixture of things – a challenge, a sense of unworthiness, guilt even. Even if it is not my desire, the reality is I often am ashamed of the gospel. Or at least, I am ashamed to speak up when I have an opportunity.
I remember one of my school friends once said to me: “Anna, I love the fact that you have never tried to push Christianity on me – that you respect what I believe and don’t try and change my beliefs”. She meant it as a compliment but my heart sank. I felt like I had failed. The truth is I can’t respect her beliefs – how can I respect something that I think is going to end her up in hell, never knowing the one who came to save her? I deeply respect and love her but I can’t respect what she believes.
Now a few years on my husband and I are missionaries in Peru and our job is to encourage people to reach others for Christ. And we believe not only in talking – we have to model it! So we have started a Mums and tots group in a poor area of Lima. When it began I had the intention of forming relationships with the women, getting to know them, visiting them and then perhaps, many weeks down the line, sharing the gospel with them. But God challenged me. Here in Peru people are very open to the gospel and don’t get offended easily by sharing it. So why exactly was I holding off?
‘Don’t be ashamed of the gospel’, came God’s word ‘for it is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe’, followed by another verse: ‘Make the most of every opportunity’ (Col 4:5).
Ok God, I get it.
And you know what? Many women have begun a walk
with Jesus as we have shared the gospel and God’s love with them every week. I’m not saying that it is that easy in every culture (I am pretty sure it is not!), but part of me wonders if the reason I saw less people come to know Christ in my home culture had less to do with people not being open and more to do with my embarrassment of the Gospel. The harvest is plentiful, we just need to know where to harvest and then go and do it.
Do you feel empowered or powerless when it comes to sharing the Gospel?
What opportunities is God giving you at the moment to make the most of?
