“And (pray) also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”
Ephesians 6:19-20
Why is it scary to talk to someone about being completely forgiven, thoroughly loved and spiritually renewed? Why is it so easy to talk about our favorite show we are watching? This is what life is like for people like us: fallen, imperfect, frail and faltering. When faced with someone who clearly does not believe in Jesus and we know, cognitively, that we possess the words of the Gospel that can give life to this person, we become greatly self-conscious, dry mouthed, nervous and unsure.
For me, and I would submit for all of us, what most consistently brings about this timid quietness when I have the opportunity to proclaim the Gospel to someone is fearing man and not fearing God. I am overly averse to risking the esteem or respect of the person with whom I will talk about Jesus. And at the same time I fear too little, the awesome person of Jesus of whom I have opportunity to speak. I value too much the admiration of people. I value too little the glory of God. Below are three items of good news for people like us:
We are in good company. We all deeply need to be reminded and to believe that we are all in this together. All of us are growing, none of us is now what we will be in the end. Another element of fearing evangelism is the shame, “I bet other people can do this better.” We must not give in to the lie that because we are afraid unto silence sometimes that it means we will do so every time. If the Apostle Paul was able to be transparent with the Ephesians (see above) that he needed them to pray for HIM to be bold, how much more should we do the same with one another?
I can change. The Gospel we are afraid to share with others is the same Gospel that is at work in us to help us grow to not be afraid to share with others. In other words, And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6). God is at work in all of us to grow and change us. If we have a sincere desire to grow and be less fearful of people and to have more of a right fear of, desire for and love for God, then we can be sure that God will fulfill that desire.
God is worthy to be feared. This last item of good tidings, is the root of the first two. Through Jesus Christ, we are reconciled to a God who is truly, not theoretically, the one and only God who alone is worthy to be adored. As I seek to increase my fear of God, that is my estimation of God as awesome, worthy of my obedience and worship and supremely captivating, then I can be sure that my fear of people will diminish. Both of these, fearing God more and fearing people less will come about in us by degrees and it will take a long time. In fact, it will take a lifetime. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. Hebrews 10:14
It has been said that if you’re never scared you’re not growing. Let us increase our esteem and fear of God, obediently step out into situations that scare us, and see God show himself to be worthy of this effort. Amen.
