What an opportunity! You may hear this phrase often. It is usually expressed when someone has a new adventure ahead. It may be education, travel, or a new job. However, most of the time we miss the greatest opportunities that God affords us. It is the opportunity to be a witness for Him. I’m afraid we get so engrossed in our own lives that we forget about those that cross our paths.
Often, we pray for God to save souls, for Him to work in someone’s heart so that they are ready to receive the gospel. That is a good thing to do, but witnessing for Christ is not just the planned appointments or the church services where we pray for those that are present that don’t know Him. We are to be a witness every day and everywhere. I find that when I pray and ask God to give me someone to witness to, He usually does. However, I sometimes miss those opportunities because I’m more concerned about my agenda than I am about God’s. I fail to see the opportunities because I am not staying in tune with the Holy Spirit.
We need to pray that we would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leadership and to those around us. The most important thing we can do is to be an effective witness for Christ. Everyone will spend eternity either in Heaven or Hell. Their opportunity to hear the gospel may be determined by our sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. In I Corinthians 2:1-5, Paul expresses to the Corinthians that he, a man of much education and acquaintances that no Jew could rival, came to witness to them with fear and trembling. He didn’t try to wow them with beautiful words, but in his actions, he demonstrated the power of the Holy Spirit.
I Corinthians 2:1-5 “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”
What about those opportunities that we don’t see? Imagine telling our extended family that we can’t come to a gathering they’ve planned because it is during our church services. We have just expressed to them how important Jesus is in our lives. By our putting the things of God first, we have been a witness to them. When we say God is first, we need to exhibit it in our actions. We need to be so faithful to the things of God that they wouldn’t plan on us being at an event that would interfere with our worship.
What about witnessing to whomever, wherever? Do you seek to start conversations in stores when you are shopping? I have found that by being polite, commenting on a mother’s child, asking questions about a flower someone has picked up at the garden store or waiting in a checkout line, that conversations can easily turn into a witness for Christ. You just need to pray and be willing to step out of your comfort zone. If you listen closely to others and to the Holy Spirit, He will give you an opportunity to fit your faith into the conversation.
Paul is a great example of witnessing wherever he went. When he was in prison, he and Silas were singing and praising God. God caused an earthquake to happen, and all the prisoners were freed from their restraints. The jailer was going to kill himself because he assumed all the prisoners had escaped. He knew when the authorities found out he would be killed. Just as he drew his sword Paul yelled out “Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.” Paul was more concerned about the eternal destiny of the jailer than he was about his own freedom. As a result of his actions, he had the opportunity to win the jailer and his family to Christ. His witness also had a great impact on those in jail because they didn’t leave either!
Act 16:26-30 “And suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
One day I will all stand before God and give an account of my life. I want to do all I can to win others to Him. I know we are all responsible for the decisions we make about our relationship with God, but the thought of people being eternally doomed to a devil’s Hell saddens my soul. I need to be conscious of others’ not self-conscious.
We may never know what our words and actions can do to influence others until we get to Heaven. Always be kind and considerate of others giving them a reason to listen. Look at people as an eternal soul, not as someone in the checkout line that is in our way. It is time we open our eyes and take advantage of those opportunities around us before it is too late.
