Let's take a minute and imagine it's Saturday morning. You just woke
up to the sun shining on your sleepy face. How you spend the next 12-15
hours can tell a lot about you. If you're anything like me, a typical
Saturday morning means pulling the sheets up to your chin, fluffing the
pillows, and obsessing over a good book. Or you're the mom wondering how
you'll survive 3 kids playing 5 games on 6 different fields (trust me,
it gets that crazy sometimes...). How about this: do you take a jog
around your favorite park? Do you work in your garden? Walk the dogs?
Binge on Netflix?
Here's another question for you, though:
How often do you engage with people with the goal of showing them the love of Jesus?
Saturday
mornings are spent in many different ways. Whether you rush around with
a To-Do List or sleep in after a hectic work week, life is hard. And it
can be even harder incorporating an
Acts 1:8 mentality into your daily lifestyle.
Here are 3 simple steps toward using moments in your everyday life to share the love of Jesus.
1. LOOK -
Look
for ways to open up to people. In a world surrounded by technology,
people are conversationally starved. The neighbor mowing his lawn
probably won't mind you offering him a cold bottle of water. The couple
playing fetch with their dog in the park probably won't think twice
about you asking to throw a couple rounds. And believe me, that mom
cheering loudly at the baseball field would love it if you asked her
which player is her child. Life presents unlimited chances to ask the
simple question, "How are you today?" All you have to do is start
looking for them.
2. ENGAGE -
Engage
with people. One 5-minute conversation can create opportunities of
camaraderie and openness to the Gospel. How exciting is that? Be honest
and sincere, though. If you ask someone how their day is going, listen
to them. They may not say much or they may tell you every little detail.
That's okay. Look them in the eye. Get to know them a little. Getting a
chance to share Jesus may not happen on a first encounter. That's okay,
too. Try to see them again within the next week or so. Start up another
conversation at the next sports game, or knock on your neighbor's door
for a quick visit. Instead of texting your friend about your newest book
obsession, pick up the phone and call. Engage!
3. PRAY -
Of course, always start with prayer. Pray
specifically that the Holy Spirit reveals ways you can engage the
people around you. Sometimes it takes having the scales removed from
your eyes before you realize how blind you really were to the
opportunities presented to you. Also ask God for courage to speak up
when the right time comes along. It's so easy to retract to a personal
bubble. But remember: things happen when you step outside your comfort
zone.
The beautiful thing about this is it
fits into your schedule. You don't have to put hours of your Saturday
into it. Whatever you're doing, you can engage with people, too!
So, what are you doing this Saturday?
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