From the Fishwithtrish blog -
Don't Sting Them
The next time you get rejected for the Gospel's sake or someone takes your tract and throws it in the trash or you get yelled at--be like a bee. A bee doesn’t sting the flower when it doesn't have pollen, it just moves on to the next flower to see if it can find pollen there.So when you have a "bad" witnessing encounter, take courage friend and don’t get upset and “sting” the individual. Just move on to the next person. Remember not to take it personal. It's the message they are rejecting.
I'm comforted by Jesus' words that are for the Christian, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matt 5: 11-12).
There's no such thing as a bad witnessing encounter. Everytime we share our faith it is a winning situation!
Special Thanks to Mark Spence for the analogy--it's stuck with me during times that I am tempted to "sting" an individual who has rejected the Gospel message.
Freedom
3 years ago
5 comments:
Wayne,
I like that analogy, too.
You are right, there's no such thing as a bad witness encounter.
God'sWord never returns void, but accomplishes that wgich it sets out to do.
And we grow in the process also.
The universe does not revolve around wether that person we are witnessing to comes to faith or not. We'd love to see them come to faith, of course. But that part of it is not our business. We are seed throwers...or flower pollenators (bees).
Like you said, "move on to the next one." "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few." (somewhere in the Bible)
Thanks Wayne!
- Steve M.
Hey Wayne,
As I read this post, I wondered what your take is on the doctrine of election.
Chris Kratzer
I think you lot have too many elections. I'm sick of hearing about them!
Oh? Election? Right.
DP:
Too Funny
Hey Chris
My take on the Doctrine of Election?
It's biblical.
Seriously – It’s a whole can of worms that has been debated for centuries. Great minds have debated, argued, fought and spent tons of time volleying the Doctrine of Election back and forth until the birdie is black and blue.
Here’s my view plain and simple…
God calls all sinners to repent; because He wishes none to perish. Those who repent and trust the Gospel are the Elect.
It’s that simple for me Chris. I go out and share my faith.
I have had people say thanks for sharing and walk away. I have had people blow me off and say get lost. I have led people to the Lord.
God moves on who He chooses to move on. I don’t know His ways in that regard.
I take comfort in that last statement by remembering Ecclesiastes 11:5 - As you do not know what is the way of the wind, or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, so you do not know the works of God who makes everything.
Peace –
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