How To Tell People About Jesus

I don’t know about you but the thought of talking to someone in the street and telling them about Jesus scares the bejeebers out of me. I can say to them, “Hey, I love your tattoo.” or “Can I help you with that?” or some other encouraging words.

How does the thought of speaking to strangers appeal to you? Does it excite you at the prospect or does it scare you? Either way is totally ok.

I listen to people like Todd White and marvel at the boldness but inside I think, ‘please don’t ask me to do that!’ If you have never heard of Todd, I would encourage you to check him out here. He is a true evangelist and is so natural at talking to people. You can see Jesus in him.

I was asking Jesus about this as I was feeling bad that I wasn’t out bringing many into the Kingdom. I was surprised at what He shared with me.

I love asking questions. People fascinate me – why they think the way they do. I ask how they really are, (they are so shocked when I tell them that I am truly interested in them) what their dreams and visions are for their lives, what do they love to do, etc. My family laugh at me because I can be talking to the checkout person at the shops and they tell me their deepest struggles or their life’s story.

Did you know you can share God’s love without saying one single ‘Christianese’ word?

Kindness is a seed

Every single kindness that you show someone is a seed that is sown that can be watered by Holy Spirit. You can be a part of their process. You may sow the first, the middle or the last seed. It doesn’t matter where you sow in the person’s own process of discovering God, it just matters that you sow seeds wherever you go.

I’ll give you a couple of examples of what this looks like in every day life.

I sit beside a swimming pool while my daughters have their swimming lessons. Most of the time I end up talking with someone who is sitting near me. We talk about our children and the struggles and highs of parenting. I ask questions about their lives and it’s a fun time. Because it’s the same parents most weeks, we build relationship – even though it is fairly surface. I also talk to the teachers and make a point of asking how they are and what’s happening in their lives. They are truly all so beautiful.

Because I spent time sowing kindness into their lives, when a teacher told me that they were unwell and shared what the specialist had found, I simply said that I am a Christian and that God loves her very much and He didn’t want her unwell. She was surprised so I asked if I could pray for her. She said yes so I did. It was a very short prayer and I kept my eyes open so she wasn’t uncomfortable. Was I nervous? Yes, but I had decided that I can’t let fear rule my life any longer – especially when I know the power and love of God for people.

The following week, she gave me good news. God had truly done a work in her life and most of the symptoms had now dissipated. Yay God! This powerful expression of God has now opened the door for more discussion.

Actions speak louder than words

… they really do.

My second example during a weekly class that I take. I make a point of saying hello to as many people as I can during the time that I am there. There is one lady who has trouble socialising, making eye contact and having a conversation. I didn’t know this when I began saying, “Hello”.

I made an effort every week to speak with her and I have found out that she is an amazing artist. I asked if she had any photos and she willingly showed me her work. She is incredibly gifted, the pictures are beautiful. It has taken many months but she now seeks me out to show me more of her art work, to tell me how her week was or just to sit near me in silence. What an honour this is for me.

Recently I asked her how her work was going. She explained how unhappy she was so I asked her a few questions and I told her that I would ask God to give her wisdom and direction about the next step to take because He is into that. She gave me a look but then said, “Thank you.”

That was all I did. In both situations, I didn’t try to get them ‘saved’ or told them they would go to hell if they didn’t ‘surrender to Jesus’. I made it very non-threatening and relaxed and both ladies received it. This, in turn, opens the door for more conversation in the future.

You might be more comfortable telling people about Jesus straight away. That’s great. But for those of you who find it a little more challenging, like I do, here are some tips to help you along.

Action Steps

Be friendly

Wherever you go, smile. People relax when they see you smile. Just say, “Hi, how are you today?” If they say, “Good thanks”, which is the usual response, you could follow up with, “Really?” This almost always brings the barrier down and they open up.

Ask questions

Be genuinely interested in people. If it is difficult for you, ask Jesus to give you His love for them. Ask Him to help you see them through His eyes. It gives you a whole new perspective.

Then, ask whoever is before you questions like:
“How was your day today?”
“Are you enjoying this class, course, your work, … etc.?” If the answer is no, you could ask:
“What do you love doing?”
At this time of writing it is almost Christmas so you could ask:
“Are you ready for Christmas?”
“Do you enjoy Christmas?”
“How will you spend the day?”

A huge key is to then actively listen. Be interested in what they are saying. Nothing brings walls down faster than a person who is genuinely interested in others – just as they are.

Build relationships

If you are involved in some sort of activity where you see the same people each week or month, make an effort to connect with them, even if it is in just saying, “Hi.” Each time you do this, it gives an invitation for relationship and may eventually give an opening to share your faith.

People are more impacted by actions most of the time than they are words. Reveal your true self and others will be more inclined to listen.

Look for opportunities as you go about your day. Ask God to bring you people to encourage. Every person I have asked if I could pray for them has said, “Yes.” Ask, “How can I pray for you this week?” It’s not in their face and it shows you care. Just remember to actually pray for them and follow them up if or when you see them again. Write a note in your phone or on paper to remind you to pray.

Remember,

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him
[giving him the desire to come to Me]” (John 6:44)

God goes before you. Pray for people to want to meet Jesus.

I pray you have an amazing week with lots of opportunities to show kindness to others in your sphere of influence.

If you are finding these posts helpful, I would love it if you could share them on your fav social media sites. Thanks heaps.

Many blessings to you all.

(Photo Credit: www.pexels.com)