1 Thessalonians 4:11,12 “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life… so that your quiet life may win the respect of others.”
Now I’m an evangelist, so the words above don’t come naturally to me! Paul certainly wasn’t saying don’t seize opportunities to share your faith, but sometimes, we need to just zip our mouths shut, live a quiet attractive life, and win people over that way so that they then want to find out why we live as we do.
When American journalist Stanley discovered Livingstone in Central Africa, he spent four months with the doctor. Stanley later wrote: “I went to Africa as prejudiced as the biggest atheist in London. But there came a long time for reflection. I saw this solitary old man there and asked myself, ‘How on earth does he stay here? What is it that inspires him?’ For months I found myself wondering at the old man carrying out all that was said in the Bible… But little by little my sympathy was aroused. Seeing his piety, his gentleness, his zeal, his earnestness, I was converted by him although he had not tried to do it! It was not Livingstone’s preaching which converted me. It was Livingstone’s living!”
Malcolm Muggeridge wrote of Mother Teresa, whilst he was searching for spiritual answers to life: “To me she represents essentially love in action, which is surely what Christianity is all about.” Calling for radical discipleship at the Lausanne Congress, some of the church leaders from Latin America affirmed that “there is no biblical dichotomy between the word spoken and the word made visible in the lives of God’s people. Men look as they listen, and what they see must be one with what they hear.”
It’s the inconsistencies between words and deeds expressed in Jesus’ name by his followers which have so often nullified our intended positive impact. As St Francis said: “Preach all the time, and if necessary, use words!”
Lord, I choose today to live a life that attracts people to you. Use me, with or without words being spoken. Amen!
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