A sister plunked into the sofa beside me, raised
her hands exasperatedly and declared: ‘I am tired of this my office people, I
preach to them, they just won’t listen. They mock me at every opportunity they
get. Pastor I tell you, it’s hard telling people about the good News!’ This is
the state of mind of so many wonderful children of God. They try to witness to
their neighbors, colleagues, friends and families and they are not taking
seriously. Where could the problem lie? Is it that the message and mode of
delivery are wrong? We know the message of Christ is hundred percent fool
proof. If that is so, then something must be wrong with the messenger! The reality
is if the messenger lacks integrity, the message cannot be believed by the
recipients. The messenger cannot be believed if his/her very posture negates
the message. When people listen to you, they listen beyond the words you speak.
The Bible tells us that Nicodemus, a Pharisee, a leader, ruler and an authority
came to Jesus at night. Since he was one of the leading lights and authority in
the laws, he must have noted something about the Person of Christ that made him
eager to want to know more about His message. When he got to Jesus, he said: “…Rabbi, we know and are certain that you
have come from God (as) a Teacher, for no one can do these signs (these wonder
works, these miracles – and produce the proofs) that You do unless God is with
Him” (John 3:2b). Nicodemus trusted the Messenger and so was ready for the
message. Likewise, when Christ met the woman by the well, through their conversations
(without any visible miracle performed), the woman trusted Him and went in the
strength of that trust to invite the people of her town. In the same vein,
despite her reputation in the town, the men listened to her and believed her –
something changed in her disposition and they noted it. A true messenger is one
that believes totally in the message he/she carries. Don’t be fooled, your
listeners are able to tell the sincerity in you when you deliver a message.
Christ, John the Baptist and the Apostles were all trusted even by their
enemies because they not only carry a great message, they were living proofs of
the message they carried!
Friend, the message of Christ you carry is it
reflected in your day to day living or you only mouth the words? If truly you
are a trusted messenger, people will be eager to follow you to your God: “…’In those days, 10 men from nations of
every language will grab the robe of a Jewish man tightly, urging: Let us go
with you, for we have heard that God is with you” (Zechariah 8:23b). Ruth
trusted Naomi and chose to follow her God; Queen Esther’s maids trusted and
believed her God and they fasted with her; king Darius trusted the God of
Daniel to deliver him (Daniel) from the lions’ den and then went on to issue a
decree that the God of Daniel is the living God! Friend, do you practice the
love, holiness, righteousness and faithfulness you advocate? The Gospel of
Christ is clear; we must ‘do’ before we ‘teach’. Friend, the reason, the
teachings are ineffective is because the ‘doing’ is defective. As a child of
God, you are a light to the world. If truly you are light, how many have come into
your light? There’s no time, Jesus Christ is almost back, fix what is broken,
straighten that which is crooked and carry the message of Jesus Christ in truth
and integrity. God bless you.
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