Friday, September 26, 2014

September 26 - Sharing...Dr. Seuss’ Style

Sharing…Dr. Seuss’ Style

"Make the most of your chances to tell others the Good News.  Be wise in all your contacts with them." (Colossians 4:5)

Our greatest mission in life is to change the lives of others.  We want to make a difference for eternity.   We can ask many questions.  Is anybody going to be in heaven because of you?  Are you going to take anybody with you?  When you get to heaven is anybody going to thank you for sharing the Good News, they're there because of you?  This is serious business.  This is your mission in life that God gives to you.  It's part of your life work to share the Good News. 

In Dr. Seuss’ famous Green Eggs and Ham, he retorted, “You can eat them in a house and you can eat them with a mouse.”  The same could said about sharing.  You can use almost any situation to share the Good News if you'll just be open.  Sometimes we get the wrong idea.  We’re not talking about pressuring people and we’re not talking about going door to door and knocking on the homes of people who don't want you to come in, in the first place.  We’re talking about just being where you are at work, at school, at home,  at play and when the opportunity arises which it inevitably will, you just say, "You matter to God.  He has a plan for your life.  He died for you."  You don't have to struggle with that.  "Make the most of your chances to tell others the Good News.  Be wise in all your contacts with them." (Colossians 4:5)  You never know the life you might change today.

Some time ago, Howard Hendricks was flying on American Airlines and he said the guy setting right in front of him on the plane was an absolute jerk.  Everything bothersome he could do, he did it.   He was rude, obnoxious, loud.  Then he got drunk.   Then he was more rude, more loud, more obnoxious.  He said there was a flight attendant that was so classy with the guy, absolutely unflappable.  When he was rude, she was polite.  When he was a jerk, she was classy.  When he was impatient, she was patient.   She would just not let this guy get to her.  He said, "I couldn't believe how classy she really was with this obnoxious man."  After everybody had been served their meals, about 20 minutes later, he said,  the man got up and walked to the back of the plane to commend the woman.  He said, “I noticed how you handled that man. I was amazed how patient you were with such a rude customer.  If you'll tell me your name I would like to write American Airlines, your employer, and commend you for your service."  She smiled at him and said, "Thank you, sir, I don't work for American Airlines.  I work for Jesus Christ."  He said "After I picked myself up off the floor this flight attendant started witnessing to me, a pastor!  She's telling me I matter to God and He has a plan for my life... I couldn't believe it and then I thought about the fact that she could have been nice to everybody on that plane but it wasn't until she told people why she was that way, that it made any difference.  I could have gotten off the plane just thinking she was a nice person and not knowing it was Jesus Christ giving her the strength, the power, the love and energy to be that way toward rude people."  You've got to show it, yes, but you also have to tell it.  If you're a great person at work and you don't tell them why, they may just think you're a boy scout or a girl scout.  You've got to share why.  You can do it anywhere.  You can do it at your work…you can do it with a jerk.

People do it in different ways.  I heard about a guy who is a tile worker  He does all these expensive homes and does great jobs of wallpapering.  When he's finished and writing up the bill and they're saying what a great job he did, he says, "Now you've seen my side job, let me take just five minutes and share with you my real job."  He pulls out a track and tells them the Good News before he leaves.  What a great idea.  Finally, I heard about another guy who is an eye doctor, an ophthalmologist, who put the Four Spiritual Laws on his eye chart.  He uses his work as a witness.  You can witness anywhere. 

You have an opportunity in that close one-on-one environment to talk about the most important things in life.  Do you realize what a mission that could be if you would use that?  When the opportunity arises talk about the Lord, talk about the Good News.  Do you realize how many people you could reach for Christ. It's a very important job.  Like the Blues Brothers, you are on a mission for God.  And as the good Dr. Seuss might say, “You can share and have some fun…you can share with anyone!”

Terry Risser

Reflections:
1)    How do you feel about telling someone your personal story of salvation?
2)    Who is one person you can pray for a  door to open?

Consider reading the Word today:



Copyright 2014- Terry Risser

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