2 Corinthians 4 – 6:2

When I first read this passage I felt uneasy about writing a blog on it, as it screamed ‘Evangelism!’ to me, and this is an area I’ve always struggled with. I’ve always felt that in order to be a ‘proper Christian’, you should really be comfortable with spreading the gospel. However, I also had an image in my head of pushy individuals taking any opportunity possible to tell people that they should repent, turn away from a life of sin, and be saved. This was maybe a warped image, but either way it wasn’t something I ever envisaged myself doing.

 

The way I try to share Christianity with people in my life is to answer questions as honestly and openly as I can, try and lead as Christian a life as possible so as to teach by influence, and to PRAY, PRAY, PRAY that God will reveal Himself to my non-Christian friends. However up until the young adult’s retreat weekend, there was still a part of me that said, “You’re not being evangelical enough. You’re not doing it right”.

 

During the weekend I was chatting to someone who unwittingly opened my eyes to viewing this passage in a different light. He gave me a lot of encouragement by empathising that though we are not all called to be evangelists we can still be fruitful in spreading God’s message. This can be done through discipleship and mentoring one-on-one as a means to sharing God’s love and inspiring the people we share with to also become disciples and ambassadors for Christ.

 

Paul encourages us further by saying, “…we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us”. How incredible is that? Despite all our weaknesses and failings, despite the mistakes we make, the doubts we have and the problems that wear us down, God has filled us with His gifts and His treasure, opened our eyes to His amazing message of love, and entrusted us to share it with others. AND He gives us the power to do that! Something that stuck out for me in the conversation I had was that it is not our job to make people Christians. Our job is to share, to open doors for others, and to be mentors and ambassadors for Christ. It is the Holy Spirit who works in them to help them to become Christians.

 

So be encouraged by this passage. That despite being ‘jars of clay’, all we have to do is speak God’s message plainly and honestly, and have faith that God will work through us to inspire others to follow him and also be His ambassadors.