Simple

The central focus of Scripture is God, and His personal relationship with humanity whom He created. This is seen with Adam, the first person, and Abraham, the patriarch of ancient Israel. God spared Noah and his family in the ark when He brought a global flood on the earth. God gave the Law to Moses to define the personal covenant (agreement) between Israel and Himself. God made a prophetic covenant promise to David, the great and beloved king and poet of Israel. And God’s desire for reconciliation with every person culminated in sending His One and Only Son, Jesus.

An inherent responsibility rests upon every person in the world—to seek and know God personally. Every person is born with an innate desire for God. But along life’s way it can be displaced, to wither and die as a plant without water and sunlight. Who bears the responsibility for rescuing those who’ve lost this innate desire? God. And His means of doing this includes genuine believers as God’s agents of His kingdom.

For decades, even centuries, a measure of guilt and manipulation has been applied to those sitting in churches regarding this responsibility. Unfortunately, many sitting in the pews are neither ready, nor willing, to share God’s Story. Too many are tormented by failure or an indifference to the need. Guilt magnified by manipulation produces resentment, indifference, and condemnation. This is not what God intends. A different attitude and vision is needed.

Why not see this as opportunity rather than obligation? Responsibility is inherent within any freedom, and by its nature, freedom involves free will. Without free will freedom ceases to be freedom. Perception makes all the difference in the world to see either obligation or opportunity. The choice is ours.

God extends great freedom to those who trust in Him. It’s called grace—God’s loving kindness and favor. This grace is extended freely and received freely, and God desires for us to share it with others. God provides opportunities as we move through life and our lives intersect with the lives of others. Then it’s a matter of choice, not obligation. However, there needs to be a readiness and willingness to share this freedom we received.

At the beginning of this book I posed a question, “How can the Gospel be communicated so they can hear it?" They being people who seem closed or indifferent to hearing about God’s love as demonstrated through His Son, Jesus. It’s an important question that needs an answer. Here’s a real-life example of seizing opportunities for sharing God’s love.

I’m involved with a new church plant near my home. It’s filled with young believers, and I enjoy their fresh sense of love for God and simplicity of belief. At one of the home meetings, a few young people gave simple testimonies of sharing God’s love. It encouraged me to hear their simple approach of sharing their faith with people while riding a public bus. These single, Anglo young women met and talked with people of all walks of life as they rode the bus. Like rays of sunshine on a cloudy day, they brought God’s grace into people’s lives. Each conversation was different, as was each person encountered. It was a simple, uncomplicated process.

Sharing our faith story needs to be simple and uncomplicated. Amazingly, simple fits a child, an adult, someone who is not literate, or someone highly educated. However, speaking truth in your own words requires an understanding beyond the terms and words used. Early on, I learned a valuable lesson—if I can explain spiritual truth to a child, then I can explain it to anyone.

I’ve seen this proven over and over while teaching in other nations outside the US. Whether explaining servant leadership to pastors more familiar with a rigid, authoritarian approach to leading, or using a Bible story to explain discernment in a remote village church in Ethiopia—sharing God’s free gift of love needs to be said and done in a simple manner.