The Matter

Witnessing

I’m going to start a new job soon, and I left my old job. I was sad to leave since this was my first job out of college, and I’ve grown to really like the people at my company. Before I left, I was thinking more about how I could share the gospel to my coworkers since I might not ever see them again. I could share the gospel in a speech before I leave, write notes to each of my team members, or leave gospel tracts next to some pastries that I bring for my coworkers. After all that thinking and praying about it, I didn’t do any of those things..

If you told me this would happen to me about a couple of weeks ago, then, I’d be pretty sad since I’d feel like a failure. My perspective has changed since then, and my wife helped me to understand what it means to be loving to others.

I was telling her how nervous I was to share and how I don’t know what it’d look like. Then, she asked me “Why do you want to share the gospel? Do you just want to relieve some guilt that you have about not sharing?” That made me think a lot more about my intentions. These nervous feelings that I have usually come before other large outreach events like Easter or a Gospel night at church. I usually think, “now I have to share so that they can go to these events and believe in the gospel!” This isn’t a bad thing, but I only think this way close to the events. I should be thinking about sharing the gospel more regularly. There’s so much to sharing the gospel and making disciples then simply just inviting them out to an event that happens only once or twice a year. I mean the Bible doesn’t say “when there’s this event where you can share the gospel, then this is when you should more seriously think about these things.” 

Matthew 28:18-20 says “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

The command is to make disciples and that looks like baptizing them and teaching them what Jesus has commanded them. This is an ongoing thing. The commandment doesn’t end or start when your circumstances change but should be followed as long as a Christian is alive. What does that mean for me?

I should seek to make disciples and obey God. Throughout my time working, I probably should have spent more time getting to know my coworkers and sharing about what I think about different things as a Christian. I could have also worked harder knowing that my work is a reflection of my obedience to God. I could invite my coworkers out to church or events due to the rapport that I might have built with them. If I leave, I can still keep up with my coworkers even if I’m gone instead of having a mentality that I’ll never see them again. I might not actually see them again, but I can still try and keep them in my prayers. This effort of keeping a relationship with my coworkers seems to be more loving than just awkwardly sharing the gospel and thinking I’ll never see them again.

With all this said, I’m sad that I didn’t do better, but thankfully, I can move forward knowing that God is still faithful in sanctifying me and growing me in my faith. I hope that in my new job, I could grow in my witnessing to those around me and be a light for Christ.

PS: Really wanted to put a witness me picture from Mad Max Fury Road, but figured it’s not the most appropriate.. but you know.. they would say that before doing their last act and dying.. so i mean conceptually, what I almost did is kinda similar except for the dying thing..

One Comment

  • Mel

    No worries Mathew, other opportunities will come. We learn something new each day. Praise God for saving and loving us.

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