In the short story Waiting to be Found, Teresa is captivated by God’s wondrous miracles and might. It is through her storybook that her interest is piqued. She desires to know and understand God.
The fields are white with harvest with people just like Teresa, who are just waiting to be found.
She is the girl sitting next to you in English class.
He is your older brother you’ve known your whole life, living in the bedroom next to yours.
She is the aunty you only ever see once a year at the family Christmas get together.
But sharing the Gospel is quite daunting at times, isn’t it? Even scary, right?
This quote may give you some assurance and comfort.
God knew what he was doing when he made you. He custom-designed you with your unique combination of personality, temperament, talents and background, and he wants to use you to reach others in a fashion that fits your design. Mark Mittelberg.
By nature, I’m a reserved person. To go knocking on strangers’ doors as part of the outreach program petrifies me. Well, you might as well bury me now.
However, I’ve realized that I can share my faith through the written word. I also enjoy talking to my students about Jesus one on one.
Study the way God has designed you. From there think about how you may point others to Christ.
Steer them towards the Bible, for the scriptures reveal Jesus. In Christ’s own words, ‘They are they which testify of Me.’
Remember, not every person you share your faith with will be saved. No one has a 100% success rate.
Even the Apostle Paul, the greatest missionary in the New Testament had mixed results. Some hearts were receptive and others rejected his message.
And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. Acts 28:24
People still exercise their free will.
And even if they repent of their sins and trust Christ as their Lord and saviour, (Hooray) it’s God that has saved them. Not me or you.
Our responsibility is to be faithful in our witness. To share the good news when the opportunity arises.
For some, a religious background may get in the way of seeing the truth.
Let’s take a look at Paul’s background for a moment.
Here was a man who had outstanding religious credentials. From a traditional Jewish point of view these carried a great deal of weight.
He was circumcised as a baby on the eighth day indicating he was a true Israelite from the womb. Those born Jewish enjoyed a higher social status than converts to the Jewish faith.
He belonged to the esteemed tribe of Benjamin. He was a Hebrew of the Hebrews—as pure a Jew as one could get.
Paul was a Pharisee. Men of this calling were revered for their strict obedience to the commands of the law.
He was also the son of a Pharisee.
Paul was active and zealous in his persecution against Christians.
In all this, he was self-righteous. He tried to satisfy God’s requirements by keeping religious rules.
Then Christ found him.
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, Philippians 3:8
Someone put it this way,
He saw such beauty, such moral glory, such transcendent excellency in the Son of God, that he deliberately surrendered all the honours, the distinctions, the pleasures, the riches of earth, in order that Christ might fill every chamber of his heart, and absorb all the energies of his moral being.
He longed to know Him not merely as the One who had put away his sins, but as the One who could satisfy all the longings of his soul, and utterly displace all that earth could offer or nature grasp. (Bible Truth 2021,online)
For Paul everything changed. His whole perspective on life was thrown off kilter. What was once valuable to Paul was reduced to excrement—poop.
In ancient cities, trash and filth was discarded outside of the community in a large pile of waste that was set on fire. The burning never ceased. Paul was painting quite a vivid picture.
His words also arrest the nasal passages, if you can remember what decomposing food smells like in your kitchen bin on a hot day, or a funky nappy that needs changing.
Paul realised that keeping the law and doing good deeds were worthless for salvation. They could not save him. Being religious could not save him.
Most people find it difficult to understand that we must repent of our good deeds as well as our bad. In this respect it’s much easier to convert outright sinners than religious and respectable people who think they are not bad enough to need “saving”. (Pawson 2015,1072)
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Philippians 3:9
Here is Paul explaining simply that we are justified (declared innocent before God) by faith and not by works.
Faith in Christ and his finished work on the cross is what saves us and makes us right before God. There is no other way, for Jesus is the Way.
We can’t make ourselves righteous, no matter how hard we try.
If you’re feeling brave, open up a conversation with someone you know is lost. Ask them about their beliefs. In turn, you can tell them your story. Ask God to give you the right words to say.
Because we know, that there are still plenty of people just waiting to be found.
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. John 17:3
Bibliography
Author not stated. 2021. ‘What does Philippians 3:8 mean?’. BibleRef. Retrieved 15 Feb 2021from: https://www.bibleref.com/Philippians/3/Philippians-3-8.html
Author not stated. 2021. ‘What does Philippians 3:9 mean?’. BibleRef. Retrieved 15 Feb 2021 from : https://www.bibleref.com/Philippians/3/Philippians-3-9.html
Author not stated. 2021. ‘That I may win Christ’. BibleTruth. Retrieved 15 Feb 2021 from:
Morgan, R. 2000. Nelson’s complete book of stories, illustrations and quotes. Thomas Nelson Publishers. Nashville.
Pawson, D. 2015. Unlocking The Bible. William Collins. London.
