Getting Dirty with Evangelism
When I was a little girl, I struggled with being shy. I’ve always been more quiet-natured, and making social connections growing up was difficult. I was able to be out-going at home with my immediate family, but the moment I went out—or even if someone I did not know well visited our home—the painful shyness would overtake me. In fact, it was my deepest desire in those moments to fade away into the background and just observe, but others would inevitably try to get me to open up and talk (to my chagrin) prompting me with questions or kind comments; my cheeks would fill with a crimson flush and my voice would barely be audible as I fumbled through my responses.
Thankfully, as I grew up, through my teaching career, faithful friends who challenged me to take risks, and learning to “bravely” take-on opportunities that caused me to step out of my comfort zone, I have been able to overcome, to a great degree, a lot of that bashfulness…but there are still moments. When I consider why that was ever an issue (or occasionally still is), I realize it’s a fear thing. Yes, there are naturally quiet personalities, but when it gets to the point that an individual becomes paralyzed and is no longer able to hazard taking a chance, that’s an issue…and actually, when it comes to spiritual matters, it can actually lead to disobedience.
Moses comes to mind when I consider this:
“Moses said to the Lord, ‘Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.’ The Lord said to him, ‘Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.’ But Moses said, ‘Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.’ Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses…” Exodus 4:10-14a
This makes me laugh. This was Moses’ fourth and final attempt to dodge the mission God was giving him. He kept trying and trying to get out of it and when it didn’t work, he just finally cut to the chase and begged the Lord: “Oh please, please, please send someone else. Please, pllleeeaassee!!!” But the sobering part is that it made God angry. God had ALREADY chosen Moses. It was not a matter of: “Hey Moses…if you happen to be free…would you mind moseying on over to Egypt to run an errand for me?” It was a solemn and holy calling to go to Egypt to lead the captive Israelites to their freedom.
And what about us? God has called us to go down into peoples’ personal Egypts and proclaim the love of Christ, to witness of His Great and Magnificent gift to us, and to watch as God releases them from the Pharaoh of their heart. But are we willing? What holds us back? Shyness, fear, busyness, apathy, spiritual laziness…?
Today, as we consider “Getting Dirty with Evangelism”, let us contemplate what is keeping us from actively going out to fulfill our calling to go into the world and make disciples. Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to show us potential blockages in our heart that keep us from walking forward in this and then let’s repent and go out with passion and zeal telling people about God’s wonderful gift.
Katie Botello
FBC Aztec Member