I would do just about anything for my family. Presumably, you would, too. Most of the time, it doesn’t even matter what the need is. If I can help, I will.

But what happens when that need is a personal relationship with God? And the best way to serve is by sharing the Gospel, scripture and/or personal testimony — even if it’s not well received?

… Anyone else feeling a knot in the pit of their stomach?

Maybe you’ve been doing this for a long time, and are a master evangelizer — regardless of the audience. Or maybe you’re like me and immediately start sweating, feeling nervous and lose confidence in your words … because of this particular audience.

It’s weird, right? Counterintuitive, even. Regardless, the hesitancy remains when family is involved. Probably because of the fear of damaging or negatively impacting the relationship.

The good news:

•   We have access to the right tools to navigate opportunities like this, and
• The Bible has a lot to teach about evangelism.  

Some context:

Years ago, I asked a certain family member (whom I love dearly) if he and his family had started looking for and/or found a church near their new home.

He said, “No.”

I then asked whether he’d be okay if I checked in every once in a while as it related to this particular question.

He said, “Yeah, sure. But just so you know, nothing is going to change.”

On another occasion, this same person and his wife proudly shared they were “Chri-Easter”-types, and only attended church on major holidays. In spite of our shared Catholic upbringings — and that both Mass and prayer were once a regular part of our lives — church and worship no longer seemed to be a priority.

I was shocked, hurt and unsure how to respond.

Be like the paralyzed man’s friends: determined & creative!

Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.  When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. (NIV, Luke 5:18-19)

In this example, the group of men knew “… the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick.” (Luke 5:17, NIV) So, they did what they needed to do. For them, it meant trying different ways to get the paralyzed man to Jesus. When the front door didn’t work, they climbed onto the roof and lowered him through a hole. Talk about determination and creativity!

For me, specifically in regards to this family member, determination and creativity have been key over the years in trying to share the good news. When I’m able (without being too “in your face” about it), I:

•       Share stories about my family’s involvement with our church;
•       Offer prayers, praises and scriptural encouragement in text messages;
•       Give book recommendations of Christian authors when I know a certain topic is of interest;
•       Reference God, peace of mind, gratitude, etc. in social media posts, and  
•       Ask the Lord for wisdom and guidance when communicating.   

I’ve also lowered my expectations, at least in a sense, in terms of anticipating how well (or not) my outreach may be received. Though I’ve been hurt in the past by the indifference, I try to remember that God is in control, “… for dominion belongs to the Lord and He rules over the nations.” (Psalm 22:28, NIV)

Baby Steps

My goal is to “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have…” (1 Peter 3:15, NIV). Yet, it is still easier for me when amongst friends or colleagues, than with family.

Often, though, progress is made when we simply take advantage of the little opportunities to share that God gives us. Baby steps or big leaps, we should, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…” (Proverbs 3:5, NIV).

By the way: that family member of mine? Well, he recently texted because he knew I was dealing with a tough situation. He sent me the YouTube link for Bethel Music’s “Raise a Hallelujah.” [insert a million happy face emojis here!] The best part? Now that I know he relates strongly to music, we’ve traded a few of our favorite songs — and in doing so, have helped strengthen this new connection to God. 

Turns out the group of men carrying the paralyzed man were spot on: determination and creativity go a long when trying to get someone to see Jesus.

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