3. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.
4. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.
5. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.
6. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
It certainly seems the return of the Lord is soon. The world is in rebellion. Hearts are growing in wickedness, chaos, and violence. Disasters on all level are on a rapid increase. Weather warnings abound with heat, draught, floods, and fires, depending on where you live.
We keep predicting the return of Jesus. It hasn’t happened in over 2,000 years. So it is easy to become apathetic and maybe skeptical of the reality of this event. Either people were misguided or it is real and we should prepare people to be ready.
Frederick Ivor-Campbell wrote a parable called “The Night After the Hurricane”. In his story the character, Bryerhoff Michaels, who had seen the world, was aware of how to reinforce concrete block foundations of coastline houses to secure them in storms. For many years the people of Saltport, where he lived, had built their houses upon foundation of sandstone blocks, quarried by a local company.
Bryerhoff’s visit to another port town, Calm Harbor, revealed how all the homes where they had reinforced concrete foundations were not affected by the storms. He was glad to tell his neighbors of this good news and the need to reinforce their homes.
Every year the nor’easter struck Saltport. The heavy winds and driving rains and high tides so weakened the sandstone that several families found it necessary to replace their foundations with the blocks, but it was expensive and time consuming. Still they trusted their friend Bryerhoff and saw the improvements for themselves.
He also rebuilt his home and talked with his friends of this superior foundation, but traditions are hard to break snd were busy with other work and recreation activities. Nothing more was done.
Then a hurricane suddenly hit Saltport without warning at midnight. Bryerhoff’s house stood firm on its new foundation as did those of his followers, but the houses of those who laughed, ignored, refused, and those who had not heard were destroyed. Not one remained.
The Apostle Paul was so concerned that people be ready to the meet the Lord that his passion could not be contained. However, in someone's enthusiasm of sharing the truth of God, a witness can get in the way of the message. We have seen people who have been so offensive in their approach about God that it has turned people away from truth. In order not to be offensive it is easy to remain silent or sometimes, to be liked by others, there is the temptation to water down the message of salvation. In our day, we are taught, everyone has a right to believe what they want. We live and promote freedom of religion. Any forced faith is not real faith.
Application: Pray about this: There are some important things needed to be a winsome witness.
Prayer: Lord, teach me how to tell others about you in a way that honors you.
