SUM 11: Day 13

Matthew 9:37-38; John 4:1-40; Mark 10:46-52

Plant now. A seed will not sprout inside its pretty package. I once heard of a man who never left a conversation without first talking about the Lord. Whether he was on a flight or at a restaurant, he shared his story. No stranger was strange enough to cause him to be silent. Read Matthew 9:37-38.

What about you? I dare say for most of us, telling someone about Christ is quite the event. We feel the need to prep and prepare. And if we don’t feel confident in our answers to the Top 10 Bible Trivia Questions, we forget the first option of the “Fight or Flight” response, and we run like the wind.

Look at Jesus. Name one instance where He forgoes the opportunity to invite another to His Father’s table. Whether He is asking a woman at a well (read John 4:1-40) about her past relationships or a blind man (read Mark 10:46-52) what it is that he deep-down, without-a-doubt wants, Jesus gets to the heart of the matter and goes from there, never relinquishing until He plants a seed and readies for the harvest.

But Jesus is Jesus, eh? And the man on the plane could be perceived as some crazy dude. Yes. But neither argument will move a friend, family member, classmate or foe closer to Christ.

To recap: You are not Jesus, and you do not want to be perceived as a crazy dude. The question, then, is when do we share Christ with others? When do we tell our story? When do we plant a seed?

Now.

Watch the evening news, read the local paper, have a conversation – hearts are hurting, and the only hope we have is Christ. Sad stories sell, but your story – full of Christ’s love – is what people need to hear.

Pray: Thank the Lord for His love and the hope He gives. Ask Him to open your eyes and heart to what He is doing in your life and to provide you with courage and the words to speak in telling your story. Ask the Lord to show you opportunities to plant seeds on His behalf.

Do: Make a list of jobs you can do without pay and give to neigbors (bake cookies, mow the yard, bathe a dog, etc.) When a neighbor asks you to do said job, take the opportunity to share what the Lord is doing in your life or what you hope He will do in your life. Invite your neighbor to church or to a church event.