Sharing Our Faith

In his book, "Share Jesus without Fear" William Fay tells about an encounter with Muhammed Ali. Fay was stuck in an airport when he noticed the famous boxer sitting at a table with a brief case full of Moslem tracts. Fay was amazed to see Ali, suffering from Parkinson's disease, slowly signing each of the tracts. Here was a man with limited physical and mental abilities giving his all to share his faith. Yet many of us Christians are afraid to share.

Isaiah 55.11 reminds us that God's word does not return to Him empty and accomplishes what He pleases. Paul told us that he was pleased when Christ was preached "whether in pretense or in truth." The key to sharing our faith is sharing God's word. God's word is what changes people. They may like or dislike us, but that really doesn't matter. What matters is that they hear God's word. God can use our feeble sharing of His word, but, as William Fay says, "He can't use our silence."

Paul asks "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? (Romans 10.14) In the Book of Acts St. Luke reminds us how "The word of the Lord grew" through the active preaching, teaching, and personal witnessing of the apostles and the church. Preaching, teaching, witnessing... It's all very challenging. But God will help us. Peter prayed for himself and his fellow apostles that they would speak God's word with all boldness (Acts 4.29). We can ask for God's help as well, and we know that God hear that prayer and give us what we need to do His will.