1/11/12 Dave, about 18
Is there value in asking questions without providing answers?
I often fail to share my faith for fear there is not enough time to explain it all or that I will be cut short. But do we ever really "explain it all"?
Lately I am realizing that sharing ANY biblical truths can be helpful to others and I have the hope that God's word "will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire" (Isaiah 55)
One day I spent some fellowship time walking at a park with Sal, a brother from church. While I wasn't looking for a long witnessing conversation, I did stop a few people to ask what they thought about spiritual things.
One of the people I stopped, an older teen named Dave, clearly appreciated some simple logical questions that many people don't think to ask, like...
"What do you think will happen to you after this life?
"If there is both a heaven and hell, then some people must go to one and some to the other. How are they different from each other? ...Who judges?"
"What standard are people judged by? Is anyone perfect?"
"How good do we have to be? Are YOU a good person?"
Dave had drifted from his Catholic roots but thought intently about these questions and others in a ten minute exchange on the sidewalk.
"If we exist eternally then where we go after we die is something we should take very seriously. Wouldn't you agree?"
Dave did agree, and he was glad to take some things to read about these very important questions.
My friend Sal, kind of a quiet and reserved person, had agreed ahead of time to pray quietly during any witnessing conversations, and it sure added a lot to our conversation afterward!
I often fail to share my faith for fear there is not enough time to explain it all or that I will be cut short. But do we ever really "explain it all"?
Lately I am realizing that sharing ANY biblical truths can be helpful to others and I have the hope that God's word "will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire" (Isaiah 55)
One day I spent some fellowship time walking at a park with Sal, a brother from church. While I wasn't looking for a long witnessing conversation, I did stop a few people to ask what they thought about spiritual things.
One of the people I stopped, an older teen named Dave, clearly appreciated some simple logical questions that many people don't think to ask, like...
"What do you think will happen to you after this life?
"If there is both a heaven and hell, then some people must go to one and some to the other. How are they different from each other? ...Who judges?"
"What standard are people judged by? Is anyone perfect?"
"How good do we have to be? Are YOU a good person?"
Dave had drifted from his Catholic roots but thought intently about these questions and others in a ten minute exchange on the sidewalk.
"If we exist eternally then where we go after we die is something we should take very seriously. Wouldn't you agree?"
Dave did agree, and he was glad to take some things to read about these very important questions.
My friend Sal, kind of a quiet and reserved person, had agreed ahead of time to pray quietly during any witnessing conversations, and it sure added a lot to our conversation afterward!
No comments:
Post a Comment