We've got another full weekend coming up.
Surprise!
This Sunday we celebrate the baby's third birthday. Her birthday was actually last Friday, but with preparing for school starting, awanas starting, fifth grade open house, preschool open house, and choir practice, we blew her off a week. As is the ritual, my family and a few of our oldest friends will be over for light grilling, cake, ice cream, and watching my child open all of her much needed gifts.
So what's the dilema?
A good portion of my family and friends are not believers. A good portion of them are. Doesn't usually come up at the gatherings. But maybe it should. These are the people I am closest to and they range from sweet little old ladies (my Granny... who is a saint), to backsliding believers, to recovered drug addicts, to raging alchoholics, and so on. And I dearly love them all.
I am just getting to know my dad again in the last couple of years, and I am ashamed to say, I don't honestly know where he stands. I know he can't stand holy rollers, though. His mother was an outrageous religious fanatic which drove him in the total opposite direction of Christ. But I also remember him being a believer when I was a very little girl.
I also have a friend coming that is a recovered addict, who as far as I know has never stepped foot in a church or heard a single bible story. I know she believes in God, though. I have thrown little tidbits out there about how God has used her unplanned pregnancy to deliver her from her addiction and she agrees. I gave her a bible a few months back and told her to start in the new testament or she would get bogged down with the old and never get to the Jesus part. That's about as far as I gotten. I deal with a lot of guilt over her because I have never just come out and told her all I know about Christ. She's knows that I am a Christian and that I want her to come to church with me, but I haven't laid it all out before her.
So I have heard time and again the encouraging words of Saint Frances of Assissi, that we should preach the Gospel at all times, and when neccessary, use words. And I am really trying hard to live it in front of my lost family and friends, but when does it become neccessary to use words?What if they never ask what caused my life to do a 180?
And then for my bunch, I am always concerned about pushing them away. I never want them to feel judged or condemned by me. I am worried that I will screw it all up and cause them to avoid being around me because instead of loving them and witnessing to them in a practical way, I become a joke, a fanatic roller who can't be taken seriously.
I guess I'll take any opportunity that presents itself at this little party, and do what I can. But if anyone has any good experience with witnessing to lost family and friends, please share. When do you cross over from trying to live out your faith in front of them, to verbalizing it?
2 comments:
Spring, if you were someone else and if I were someone else, I might say something other than I'm going to say!!
I might say you'd better have all the verses for the plan of salvation memorized because you need to hit them hard with it while you have this (and perhaps only this--ever!)opportunity.
Or I might say you need to pray a really bold prayer before you let them eat (like you did standing in the baptismal waters), whether you want to or not. Hold them hostage by withholding the food until they get thoroughly prayed over!
In fact, I could guilt you so much that you'd wish you didn't even HAVE unbelieving family members or friends.
Heck, I might even be able to convince you that you shouldn't even be associating with "people like that" in the first place!
But Spring, you are YOU, and God has given you the very people that you are uniquely qualified to minister to, because you, as well as God, love those precious people. And I KNOW that the Holy Spirit speaks to you, and you hear his voice. Your whole life sings your love for God. I have no doubt whatsoever that he will lead you, and that you will say,or NOT say, exactly what he wants you to.
And because I know your heart and I know you walk in the Spirit, I can say: rest in him. (I would say "chill out" but that doesn't sound spiritual enough!)
GOD IS WITH YOU!! And whatever happens, it will be right for that day! Well, bless God, Amen!
I know how you feel. I struggle with this one too. I have already separated myself from a good friend. She doesnt understand all of the time that I spend at church and she thinks that FBC has brainwashed me. But I have to realize that she doesnt really feel that way, it is Satan getting to her. I will pray for you. I know you will say (or not say) the right things.
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