I love to tout my southern roots. I grew up on sweet tea and grits despite having never actually lived in the south. But when your mom’s side of the family is Virginia and North Carolina and your pop’s side of the family is from South Carolina, you wear it like a badge of honor.
Today, I added a check mark to my list of southern accomplishments. I made a hummingbird cake. No, hummingbirds were not harmed during the making of this dessert. Yes, I took out the pecans in the cake and in very crass humor announced to my bible study that I brought them a “neutered hummingbird, nuts on the side.” (I’m sure they wonder how I got nominated to be the bible study leader some days.)
Y’all, it was delicious! I had never been willing to even try it because bananas and pineapple and nuts all mixed in a cake just sounds weird. What if it was so gross that I never wanted to eat cake again?! I was literally afraid to try the cake. But it was so good, and I HAD to go back and get more.
Why do we often treat our sharing of the gospel in the same way?! As believers, we know that our heritage is in the Lord. We are children of the King and should want to shout and live it from the rooftops! Yet we’re hesitant to share it because we’re afraid of how it might look to our friends or the people we encounter every day. We worry that they’ll reject us. Perhaps we’ll look silly or like a ‘Jesus nut.’ We even sometimes feel as if we don’t know the right things or verses to say.
Friends, we don’t have to be afraid! Our lives were purchased by the shed blood of Jesus and we need not fear what others think. There are many ways He tells us to share in the bible. He says to be the light in the darkness (Luke 8:16). He tells us to go into the world, preaching the gospel (Mark 16:15). Be the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13). Be an example with the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). He just wants us to tell others about Him!
You may be the only Christian they come in contact with and I’d love to encourage you, dear ones, to let go and trust God to give you the courage to give it a try! Share the gospel! You’ll never regret the moment that you do. You will have planted the seed. Let God water it!
~Erin
Iron Porch 