Have you ever been overwhelmed with the pressure to tell others about God? I mean, Jesus did say in Matthew 28:19,
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”
Back when I was in college I would attend the Passion Conference every year — this is a HUGE college-aged, Christian event. I remember walking around the streets of Atlanta and the people I was with would stop and “witness” to those that passed. Witness is a Christian term for to tell people about God. I remember getting so embarrassed, ashamed, shy, all the related emotions. I never felt I had the faith, words or confidence to do what my friends were doing — nor did I think this was an effective way to do this.
Then I became a missionary. Then I became a stay-at-home mom of 6 who visited the Flying Saucer weekly to decompress and “work” probably drinking too much beer for a Friday afternoon. I have experienced it all now. Felt the confidence of talking about God, felt the I can loose my life trying to talk about God, felt the out of my element or the this isn’t the time moments. It wasn’t until my opportunities to share the word were no longer convenient and part of my job that I was hit with the actual responsibility as a Jesus follower to tell others. I was so overwhelmed and mad that it wasn’t “easy” anymore! I had to be crazy humbled to realize it has nothing to do with me! Nothing to do with what I am doing, where I am or how I am feeling that day. It has everything to do with the prompting of God and His timing.
I have been reading through a Bible plan with Matt (when he is successful in getting me to wake up before 7am). Last month, we read Samuel and I stubbled upon a few verses that made me go “ah ha!” 1 Samuel 3:1 says,
“Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.”
I recommend you go spend some time in 1 Samuel chapter 3, but for this post’s purposes I will summerize how I interpreted it. Remember, my interpretation is strictly as a follower of Jesus and going off what has only been revealed to me now — not as a “seminary student” or pastor. My son even said in the car on the way to school this morning, “Mom, I think you may be wrong about what the Bible says!” I told him, “I most definitely could be wrong about what the Bible says!”
Reading through 1 Samuel 3:
Then the Lord called Samuel…Samuel thought it was Eli.
Then the Lord called Samuel…Samuel thought it was Eli.
Then the Lord called Samuel…Samuel thought it was Eli.
It wasn’t until the fourth call that the word of the Lord was revealed to him and Samuel excepted! And do you know how it was revealed to him?
“Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.”
It wasn’t until 1 Samuel 8-9 that God used Eli to plant the seed. It was Eli that essentially told Samuel about the Lord and all he had to say was, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.'” That’s it! Not a long conversation about the Bible’s history and beginning and all the details we don’t remember! It was simply…Go lie down and LISTEN! I think we get so overwhelmed with the pressure of telling others about God, so we just don’t do it! But this shows us it’s not about our deep knowledge. It’s simple. Anyone can say what Eli did there.
1 Samuel 3:21,
“And the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.”
The Lord revealed himself and presented the word of the Lord! God has already done all the teaching, we just have to steer “his student” to it. If you take from this the purpose of a disciple, it is simple…constantly ENCOURAGE toward the Word, TEACH how to read the Word, and help INTERPRET what the Word says. We don’t need to stray from that! Teach the Gospel, friends…DO NOT STRAY FROM THAT. God will do the beginning and the rest to seal the deal!
Just reveal who is calling your friend, neighbor, family member. That’s the start! In my exhausting, busy, sleepless life I think I can do that! And I feel so much comfort in knowing I AM A DISCIPLE OF GOD. You can be one too, friend! Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.
Smile even when life seems like poop! Share God even when you don’t feel like it…just say “friend, it’s not me calling, it’s Jesus!”
We can do this. Love you, friend!
