I am not so good at evangelism. In my imagination I have the boldness and the things to say. But people never act their part prescribed by my imagination. And “people” includes me. So when at work yesterday I set down my book and almost heard God putting words into my head to open my mouth and say to the girl sitting there, I was quite surprised.
Talking to strangers is never so difficult after I’ve opened my mouth at first. She was wearing a head-covering, the kind girls wear in the Middle East. And I suppose that is where her family is from. She probably grew up in the United States. Right now she is in community college, having earned her diploma in a public high school. It is possible she knows the mainstream American culture better than I do. But she has a little bit of that cultural slant that comes from being Muslim. Whether she approves or disapproves, she is accustomed to their mindset.
I told her that I had been reading about the story of Cain and Abel, and did she know it? Muslims share some stories with Christians, so I was curious what she may have heard about it. Actually she encountered the story in public school, when they read East of Eden and studied its influences. She said that her class decided Cain was a pragmatist, and even though he may have been marked, was more likely to survive in the world, to do what worked for him. The world, they agreed, was more like Cain. He would expect what he found there, and know how to thrive. Abel, he is the kind of guy who tells everyone what they should do, and God likes a man who wants to do what is right. But people don’t like prophets, so he would probably be shot.
And while most of my new friend’s high school class though that was sad, she said it made her laugh. I think she was appreciating the irony.
But I asked her why God would let the world be that way, where those people who please Him are more likely to get shot. “I don’t know; I guess god knows what he’s thinking,” she said.
That was the end of our conversation. I don’t know what God was thinking having me bring up Cain and Abel with her, but I trust Him. No objections.
This morning I went searching for a quote by the Catholic, GK Chesterton. And on one of the sites the sidebar advertisement was for a Muslim matrimonial website. With the veil surrounding the face it is hard to tell, but the smiling woman on their ad looked a lot like my friend. What do you make of that?
To God be all glory,
Lisa of Longbourn
Lisa of Longbourn 
Lisa:
It’s always a pleasure to read your writings. I usually don’t think to stop by but once a month or two, so when I come there are often five or six new posts that I can read. So when I got here today I was very happy to read this post.
I admire your honesty; and I delight in the God whom we know–whom you write about.
Kevin
Kevin:
Thanks so much for stopping by sometimes! And your comments are always encouraging.
Have any tips on working up the nerve to share the gospel with strangers?
To God be all glory,
Lisa of Longbourn
I guess sharing the gospel with strangers is probably difficult due awkward feelings. I think American culture today fosters loneliness instead of community.
But I believe a few good motivators are out there. (1) A motivation to bring glory to God encourages personal evangelism. Sharing the gospel with strangers may be an opportunity to experience the bigness of God.
(2) There is also the truth. Jesus commissions his own to go into all the world and make disciples. So obedience is another motivator.
(3) A Spirit-filled love for others is a special motivator. I don’t think too many Christians really love unbelievers. Prayer and spending time with unbelievers often ignites a passionate desire to personal evangelism.
(4) Knowing that God can “cut to the heart” any lost and weary sinner at any moment is a tremendous motivator. I know that God alone coverts souls. So I rest in a confidence in the sovereign grace of God and obey.
(5) Rejection is real. One motivator is Matt. 5:11-12:
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
God sent prophets and they were killed. He sent Jesus and he was murdered. And he continues to send messengers today; and they are persecuted and reviled. They are like the prophets and Jesus when they are rejected. “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.”
(6) Too often believers are shortsighted. They don’t consider the joys of witnessing a conversion. They don’t think about how heralding the gospel brings fame and glory to Jesus.
They typically live in the moment: the moment of the fear of man. The fear of man too often trumps all of the biblical reasons for personal evangelism. This is where I think prayer, personal devotion, and a healthy desire to witness God doing amazing things helps.
But I wouldn’t say that it isn’t hard. Rejection. Awkwardness. Fear of man. Individualistic culture. Those are hard things.
Yet I love this: Yes the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing (1 Cor. 1:18). But you can say to the one perishing: Yes, but you don’t have to perish. “To us who are being saved, it is the power of God.”
Everything I wrote here I need to work on myself.
Thanks, Kevin!
To God be all glory,
Lisa of Longbourn