We pray, ‘Lord, make me a more interesting person, make me a person who can be counted on, if it is possible, to make a contribution, to say something useful, to respond in a way that is constructive.’ This does not mean over the top, not telling people how they ought to think all the time, but not just flat and dull. Lifted, seasoned, because then people may be a little more eager to hear me when I get the opportunity to make spiritual remarks.
It has been said that you have to wait until you are asked a question. You never utter a word of witness until you are asked for it, and this is one of the proofs texts and another one in 1 Peter – ‘that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.’ But the Greek does not actually suppose that you are being asked a question. It simply says, ‘so that you may know how you ought to respond to every man.’ He has not necessarily asked you a spiritual question directly but he has given you an opening. He has made a remark about the dismal state of society or the world or how everything has gone wrong at this level or level. He may just be complaining, he may be moaning, but you can respond to his line of conversation, and it may be fitting and appropriate for you to talk about the fall and the reason why things are as bad as he observes. People are totally ignorant as to why the world is as it is, and why the problems cannot be solved, and why human behaviour is as it is. It is a most important doctrine and another one is the knowability of God. People just do not realise that God may be known. There are many nominal Christians about, who do not realise that God is to be known and proved. They certainly do not know about redemption, and about grace, and about salvation being an act of God, forgiveness secured by Christ and the heart changed. We may have the opportunity to talk about many or all of these things if we lay a good foundation.
How we need to pray for compassion for souls so that we take opportunities. Another thing – expect to be used. Some say, ‘In my situation it is impossible to give a word of testimony. Nobody will let you; it is not even allowed in my profession. May be so, and you have to be careful and you have to honour certain rules, but if you pray opportunities will still come. You may wait long for them, but they will still come so expect them and be ready. Somebody will approach you, somebody will open up, and if it is not in the place of employment, it will come wonderfully in the home or somewhere else. A sentry does not know when the invader is coming. He may be on duty night after night for weeks, and then comes the moment when he is vitally needed, and witness can be like that. To help prepare, collect gospel arguments. In a church that preaches the gospel regularly, you will hear them regularly in the evangelistic service. The preacher has caught an illustration or a line of argument that you know you can use, so write it down.
What if you are approached for help or advice or an explanation by a Catholic? Do you know to respond? If we are prepared, God can use us. If we are not prepared, he will have to use somebody else. Would you know how to talk to a practicing Jewish person, an atheist, or to the young? Are you ready for the distinctive concerns of the old? Remember how the Lord Jesus Christ redeemed the time. He was confronted about the Sabbath day, and he announces himself to be Lord of the Sabbath and then he proceeded into the synagogue, and it says in the record, that the disciples watched him. They were sure he was going to heal somebody in the synagogue, on the Sabbath. The they saw who it was – ‘and there was a man with a withered hand.’