Step One in Evangelism
I have not played golf in over 20 years, but when I played a little in high school, I was awful. Still, I remember the high levels of concentration needed to think about, address, and hit the shot.
A golfer in Florida recently took that concentration to fairly extreme levels, though. As he was preparing to hit a shot from the fairway, a seven-foot-long alligator walked right by him, less than ten feet away, and the golfer never really noticed. The alligator literally walked in front of the golfer, who just walked up to the ball and took his shot while ignoring the huge creature.
May I take that story and make a very personal application to our lives as Christians? Is it not possible that we are so focused on what we are doing that we are missing what is right in front of us?
Jesus said that the fields are white unto harvest, and that statement has been used any number of times to speak about just how many people around us are lost. But, prior to speaking about that field, the Lord said, “Look” (John 4:35).
Right there it is: our first step in evangelism. Too often, we are so focused on what is going on “right now” and on the normal things of life that we forget to simply look.
It has been said so often (and rightly so) that each person you meet is a soul headed for eternity. I have to ask myself very seriously: am I acting that way when I interact with people?
That man who changes your oil or rotates your tires? He needs to be invited to worship.
That lady who cuts your hair? She has a soul that needs Jesus.
The person who walks by your house every evening getting a little exercise in? They need a Bible study.
The person who coaches your child’s pee-wee football team? That person is going to face Jesus in judgment.
And the list is endless. If we would really look, would we not change how we interact with people? We would do our best to be on our absolute best behavior, so that people will be drawn to us, but we would also try to introduce them to Jesus as soon as we can. We would be striving to set up Bible studies more often, and we would invite so many more people to worship and Bible classes.
I’m challenging myself, and I pray this challenges you, as well. Let’s look. Without that step, nothing else will ever fall into place.
To Receive Every Article from A Legacy of Faith through Email for Free, Click Here
AUTHOR: Adam Faughn
