I don't know why but at times I forget that I am already in a mission field. I don't have to travel very far to find people who are in need, whether it be physically or spiritually.
Think about it for a second. How many people have you seen today? How many of those people are strangers to you, people who may not know the slightest thing about Jesus Christ?
I thought of that myself today, in fact it was extremely convicting to me. I know for a fact that I do not witness to unbelievers as much as I should. I am scared of how people will react or nervous because I don't know the Bible inside and out...and what if I can't answer one of their questions?!
Really when it comes down to things I am so selfish and prideful. I don't want to step out of my comfort zone and plant seeds in the lives of others. Lately I have been in deep prayer with God asking Him to help me overcome this. It is definitely a bondage of sin that with God's help I need to break down. I only wish I would have realized it sooner.
Please excuse my generalities, but as a whole the American church is not one that is evangelizing very well. Most figure they've paid their dues to God as long as they go to church on Sundays. The evangelizing and witnessing is the job of the pastor or missionaries. You have to have a Bible degree or degree in Theology to tell others about Christ right?
It's a totally wrong, self-centered, unbiblical attitude! The Great Commission command from Jesus Christ was not just for those who are called into ministry but TO EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES AND IS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST! Why do we have such a hard time remembering that?
It is almost painful for me to think of all the lost souls in this country, in my state, IN MY TOWN that believers are not reaching out to.
So why don't we witness?
I know for me that fear is a major factor. I'm afraid of what people will think. I don't want them to see me as stupid or weird. I am much more inclined to simply leave them be and go through the motions as a Christian.
Another factor would be that I am not living with my whole life centered around Christ.
I'm reminded of that song "Give me Your eyes" by Brandon Heath. It's such a powerful and awesome song, but yet so heavy and convicting.
Here's the lyrics, Think about them for a minute:
Looked down from a broken sky
Traced out by the city lights
My world from a mile high
Best seat in the house tonight
Touched down on the cold black tar
Hold on for the sudden stop
Breathe in the familiar shock
Of confusion and chaos
All those people going somewhere
Why have I never cared?
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach?
Give me your heart for the one's forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Step out on a busy street
See a girl and our eyes meet
Does her best to smile at me
To hide what's underneath
There's a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie
Too ashamed to tell his wife
He's out of work he's buying time
All those people going somewhere
Why have I never cared?
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach?
Give me your heart for the one's forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
Our problem is that we don't see the world as Jesus did. The people of this world are so lost with no way to find salvation on their own. It breaks my heart when I hear the percentages of the amount of people dying everyday. Did you know that there are over 150,000 deaths every day? I can't even wrap my mind around that.
I wish I could say that just because you get convicted means you're going to do something about it. That's one of my problems, I can feel so strongly and yet never be willing to do anything. I want to change that though. I want to be committed to sharing the gospel. Won't you? You don't know what the future holds, maybe you will be one of the 150,000. Won't you allow God to work through you and bring people to a saving knowledge of Christ?
Luke 10:2 "He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
Galations 6:9 "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
