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WITNESSING AND EVANGELISM (Personal methods)
Last time we looked
at one method of witnessing that might be helpful. This time we’ll look at some
personal methods.
I think one of the
best methods of witnessing is one’s life style.
How do you live? How to you
act? How do you react? There are at least two dangers here. The first is that this method could certainly
be used as an excuse to not make any active effort to witness. So be careful here. Second, the life style must reflect
Christ. Of course no one ever does this
completely well. So take some time to
contemplate your life. How do I come
across to people? Is my Christian reputation
good inside the church, but also outside the church?
One of my favorite
ways is to simply ask the question: How’s
your spiritual life? I have often done
that at work. In the legal business,
people often come in with their lives flashing before their eyes. Often it seems that everything is in ruin,
whether by their fault, the fault of another or a combination of the two. So, I’ll just sit and listen and take
notes. When the client is done, I’ll sit
back and look. The client will be
looking for some good words of comfort.
Some pearls of legal wisdom.
Then, when it is quiet, I’ll say, “How’s your spiritual life?”
Sometimes clients
have walked out. Sometimes they look at me as if I am a moron, but it is
interesting.
Let me give you a
short example.
One day a client came
in. He was huge. Big and burley. And hairy!
His hair came out of his chest through the buttons that ran up and down his
shirt. He had a permanent frown and a
permanent snarl. His voice was deep and
gravelly. He was an imposing and scary
figure. I listened to him for maybe a
half hour. He never stopped staring at
me the entire time. When he finished, I
contemplated life style witnessing, but finally asked him the question, “How’s
your spiritual life?”
This great big,
gnarly guy frowned deeper and snarled deeper and then he sort of shook all
over. I thought about running, but my desk
and this man sat between me and the door.
I thought to myself, “So this is how my life will end.”
And then, as he
shook, he began to cry. He shook and
cried like a baby. His shoulders heaved
up and down like I have never seen. It
was uncontrollable and loud. Finally, he
asked me what I meant and I shared briefly with him. Then he rose and we shook hands and he said
he had to leave.
I never saw him
again. I’d like to tell you he knelt
right there and prayed to receive Jesus.
But that didn’t happen. Somewhere,
somehow, I believe a seed was planted.
So, how’s your
spiritual life?
Doug
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