3 people you need to know
Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. —Matthew 28:19-20 (The Message)
Historically Christians have done a lot of stressing out about the above passage, especially Christians who have to figure out how to follow God and keep their day job. If you aren’t in a place to sell your possesions and move to Africa, the idea of evangelism can seem frustrating, not inspiring. I was recently reminded by a simple conversation that evangelism is a lifestlye of simply knowing the people God places in your path every day. My wife had an idea one evening to walk over to our neighbors house to say, “Hi.” They have a son just a little older than ours. We have occasionally hung out, but for the most part live separate lives. After returning from the neighbors house, Shannon informed me that just a couple of months back his wife left him and his four-year-old son. He was struggling to make ends meet and trying to figure out how to parent a four-year-old through a nasty divorce. I was instantly convicted, my neigbor’s life was falling apart and the pastor next door was completly oblivious.
The opening two words of this verse say it all: “Go out.” The recent encounter Shannon had with our neighbor reminded me before we fly to the ends of the earth to share the good news of Christ, there are people in our direct circle of influence who desparately need people of faith to just ask them how their lives are doing.
There are three people we all need to meet: Our neighbor, our barista, and our coworker/classmates. Everyday we drive past our neighbors homes, we take coffee from our barista (that’s the people in the coffee shop. If you don’t drink coffee consider the people you buy stuff from on a regular basis.), and we sit next to coworkers and classmates. Instead of flying half way around the world to make an impact, try taking two minutes to introduce yourself to these people. God has ordered our steps. The people you see everyday are a great place to start in living out the commands in Matthew 28.
By the way, my Barista’s name is Carlos.