Giving Gospel Tracts to Colleagues

This week I decided to head over to The Hub. The plan was to hand out some gospel tracts, have some spiritual conversations with people, then pop into Harvey Norman for my gadget 'fix'.

The Hub is one of Whakatane's local shopping areas complete with a range of well known stores like Briscoes, Farmers, Bunnings, and my favourite Harvey Norman. All the stores are adjacent to each other which creates a strip where many locals come to shop. Near the middle of The Hub is a cafe which usually attracts a quite a few people.

Seeing as it was Easter Monday I thought there'd be a lot of people out and about that I could talk with but there weren't too many. As I approached the Cafe I saw him.

For those of you who don't know me, God's put on my heart to share the gospel with people, ever since I became a Christian. It's kind of like a long-term goal He's given me. It's exciting, terrifying and burdensome at times. But that's what He's put on my heart and with His help, that's what I do. I've been evangelising on and off for the last seven years. One of the biggest fears I used to have (and in all honesty still do to some degree) is seeing people that I know from my work place. Seeing colleagues. I sometimes hear voices inside by head trying to discourage me.

"What if I see someone from work out here? They'll think I'm a religious nut!"

But God is helping me to care more about others than myself. Jesus is the Saviour, the one who sacrificed his life for us. He was bruised for our sins, He is the one that, if sinners turn from their sins and trust in Him, will save them from the wrath that is to come against sin. Without the righteousness of Christ, people will perish on the day of Judgement. That's why we all need Jesus. 

I continually remind myself that evangelism is not about me being comfortable but more about the other person and where they will spend eternity. Our compassion for the lost and their fate must swallow our fears of rejection. As Christians we have a moral responsibility to share the gospel with those around us, in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God. Imagine having the cure to cancer and keeping it to yourself. Yet we have something better than a cure, we have the message of everlasting life! Will you keep it to yourself?

So I saw him, my boss. He appeared to be having afternoon tea with his son at the cafe, enjoying the Easter break. I waved and casually approached their table and greeted them. Some small talk ensued and then he cut to the chase. "What are you doing here?" He asked. I said something like, "I'm out handing out gospel tracts, getting God's message of forgiveness out there to people." I gave him and his son a gospel tract each and they went through the test and then they read the back together. They weren't too keen to chat about God stuff there and then but at least they have the gospel message to take with them. We chatted some more and then I moved on. May God reach him one day.