July 26, 2024
School is out! This means that my granddaughters' main goal each day is to find a pool to go to. I wish we had a subdivision pool but unfortunately that was not on our list when we moved to Jefferson.
Last Sunday afternoon, the two youngest girls were entertained, temporarily, with squirt guns and a bucket of water. I think as long as they were able to get wet they were happy. Wayne and I were sitting on the front porch watching and reminding them not to shoot us with the water guns. Liza came over and asked if they could wash my car using the water guns. I declined the offer. Her response to me was, “Mimzy why would you not let us wash your car? It’s a free offer?” I thought about several obvious reasons why I had declined. She reminded me again it was free and after I said no again she went on to other activities with her water gun.
I was thinking about Liza saying it was “free” and me declining her offer in relation to sharing with others the “free” gift of salvation. Some of the same reasons I told Liza "no" made me think of reasons we might not share the gospel with others.
The first reason I told Liza "no" was because it was inconvenient, since I would have to move my car out of the garage for them to wash it. I’m pretty sure that can possibly be one of the reasons we use to talk ourselves out of sharing the gospel with someone else. It just happens to be an inconvenient time. We think we could do it on another day or another time. Maybe we think the person looks to be in a hurry. There could be a ton of reasons why we say no to sharing because we feel it is inconvenient. However, there is an urgency for us as believers to share with others about Jesus and that today is the day of salvation. Yesterday is gone and today might be the only day they could be saved because none of us are promised tomorrow. When we share the gospel we need to stress that TODAY is the day you have an opportunity to change your life forever. Today is the day for us to share the free gift of salvation, regardless of whether it seems to be an inconvenient time or situation, because people need to know Jesus to make a life-changing decision.
Another reason I told Liza "no" was because, honestly, my car is filthy. It hasn’t been washed in a while and when you have a white car it shows all the dirt, mud, and grime. Could that be a reason we say no to sharing the free gift salvation? We might know their background and maybe even know how they have messed up in their life. The truth is at one time we were dirty with sin and might have done things to mess up our lives. However God in His mercy had someone share with us how we could clean up from all the dirt, mud and grime of a sinful life. Sin is real but so is our Savior. In 1 John 1:9 the Bible says “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” The definition of purify means to free from guilt, moral blemish, or from undesirable elements. The truth is we are unable to make ourselves pure or clean. God sacrificed his only Son to purify us of our sin. It doesn’t matter how dirty, muddy, or grimy someone might think their life is, God offers the free gift of salvation that can wash all that away. Today is the day to share the free gift of salvation, regardless of how much cleaning up anyone might need. God can handle it. If we share the Gospel it gives others the opportunity to have a new start to a new life with God.
The last excuse I mentally thought of to tell Liza "no" about washing my car was I didn’t think they would do a good job. I mean they are kids. They couldn’t even reach the top of my car. Don’t we use the same excuse when we are prompted to share the gospel. We think someone else could do a better job. We might not have all the answers to their questions. We are afraid we won’t share it the correct way. Really all God wants is for us to be ready and willing. We can’t open a person’s heart to accept the truth but GOD can. Our job is to share and leave the results to God.
Looking back, I wish I had let my granddaughters wash my car. I said no but in the process they taught me a lesson. It really would not have been hard at all to move my car. The small inconvenience to me would have made the girls conveniently happy. It really would not have mattered that my car was dirty and grimy. It actually would have helped them to see the dirt and grime so they would visibly know where it was and when it was removed. And really would it have mattered if they couldn’t reach the top of my car to wash it? I mean I can’t even see the top of my car. The truth is they would do the best they could and give all they had to give. They would also enjoy and have the satisfaction of knowing they were able to do something for me. They would actually be living out 1 Corinthians 16:14 “Let all that you do be done in love.”
Shouldn’t we do the same? We should be sharing our faith because we love God and want to see Him completely change someone else’s life. The challenge I am giving myself, and you can feel free to join me, is to not look at what is convenient, the presentation, or if I am comfortable sharing the Gospel. I want to look at sharing the love of God with others so they too have the opportunity to have their life changed. Who do you know that needs to have their life changed? Tell them about Jesus! Oh, and if you decide you want your car washed I’m pretty sure I could arrange that with two little girls who have a bucket, some water guns, and a whole lot of love!
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Jill Johnson, a staff member at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, finds spiritual applications in her everyday experiences as a wife, mother, grandmother and Georgian. She is available to speak to your church's women's gatherings. Reach her at jjohnson@gabaptist.org.
