C. S. Lewis has gotten new notoriety in recent years with some of his works making it to the big screen. He is a brilliant mind and yet so simple in some of his wisdom. He said, "The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us; just as the roof of a sunhouse does not attract the sun because it is bright, but becomes bright because the sun shines on it." — Lewis, C.S.
Let’s go from the mind of a man who may well have been a genius to that of a child who asked, “Mommy, the preacher’s sermon this morning confused me.”
The mother said,“Oh! Why is that?”
The girl replied, “Well, he said that God is bigger than we are. Is that true?”
“Yes, that’s true,” the Mother replied.
“He also said that God lives in us. Is that true, too?”
Again the mother replied, “Yes.”
“Well,” said the little girl. “If God is bigger than us and he lives in us, wouldn’t He show through?”
I like a child’s honest, literal interpretation of life. If God lives in us, then there’s no way of keeping him from “showing through.” That’s the essence of Christian living- living in such a way that people around us will see God in our lives. The Apostle Paul said it this way, “You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” 2 Corinthians 3:3 (NIV)
I have often said that in personal evangelism initially people are not impressed with the Scripture we can quote. That may even turn them off initially. The question in their mind is, “If this is so great how has it made a difference in your life?” If they are a stranger we need to tell them. If they are a co-worker they should have already seen it. Then affirm it with Scripture, but first we are the letter, the introduction.
At one time I was and itinerant speaker/evangelist. Often I would introduce myself to new pastors and areas of the country by having friends that knew me well send a letter of introduction ahead then I would call them or write them. Doing it this way, they were not just being presented with someone they were totally unfamiliar with, but they had been introduced to me by someone they knew already. We are those letters of introduction to Christ.
It’s quite a responsibility, isn’t it?!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I want to be a good introduction to Your love and saving power. I know I am not perfect, but I can be genuine, real so that others will not be turned away with hypocrisy, but be attracted to You because You show through in my life. Help me today to show someone the way to You. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
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