Boldness

[Christoffer]

This is an area where I am lacking, for sure. At work especially I tend to "freeze up" whenever the discussion approaches more spiritual things, issues of religion or morality.

It has actually made me depressed - the constant failures to seize the moment. As time goes by, I start feeling like I should have said something ages ago, now its too late. I am quite resigned at the moment. Feel like an idiot.

On the other hand, we should be streetwise. Being too bold can get us into unnecessary trouble, right? It can for example get us fired from work. I agree that getting fired is no reason not to proclaim the gospel, but I think there is both a wise and an unwise way to go about it. Right?

It's hard to know how to be and behave. So how bold should we be?

 

[blhowes]

This is an area where I am lacking, for sure. At work especially I tend to "freeze up" whenever the discussion approaches more spiritual things, issues of religion or morality.

It has actually made me depressed - the constant failures to seize the moment. As time goes by, I start feeling like I should have said something ages ago, now its too late. I am quite resigned at the moment. Feel like an idiot.

Good questions, brother. I can relate - I certainly have room to improve in the area of witnessing at work.

I was thinking about this recently as a matter of fact. I've from time to time gotten down on myself when I don't live up to the 'witnessing standards" I think I've set for myself. I'm not the most extroverted person, so that kind of thing just doesn't come naturally for me.

The book of Hebrews came to mind as I was thinking about it. One thing I keep reminding myself is the phrase, "By faith" so and so did this or that. That was an encouragement in that there is hope for success when I learn not to put my faith in my own abilities (which are lacking), but when I put my faith in God, especially in the area of witnessing.

That's where I'm at now. I look forward to putting that into practice when God gives the opportunity.

 

[Christoffer]

I was thinking about this recently as a matter of fact. I've from time to time gotten down on myself when I don't live up to the 'witnessing standards" I think I've set for myself. I'm not the most extroverted person, so that kind of thing just doesn't come naturally for me.

Same here. I am not very extrovert, in fact at work I don't know many people (I have many aquaintances though), and I think to many I am something of a question mark.

That makes it more difficult to witness, the discussions is always at a superficial level and about trivial things

 

[blhowes]

Same here. I am not very extrovert, in fact at work I don't know many people (I have many aquaintances though), and I think to many I am something of a question mark.

That makes it more difficult to witness, the discussions is always at a superficial level and about trivial things

Ok, tell me the truth, have you been spying on me or reading the book, "What is blhowes really like?". I can relate.

Be back later. Gotta bring my son to the bus stop.

 

[blhowes]

Same here. I am not very extrovert, in fact at work I don't know many people (I have many aquaintances though), and I think to many I am something of a question mark.

Without cutting myself too much slack, I've come to accept being somewhat introverted. Not everybody is alike, and God made us just the way we are. Is being introverted a bad thing? I don't think so.

I say "Without cutting myself too much slack" because, though I can accept being more introverted than extroverted, I don't want to fall into the trap of using that as an excuse not to witness..."Well, God made me like this, I'm introverted, so I can't tell them about Jesus"...hog wash!

There are different ways to witness, I think of some as being "offensive" and others as being "defensive". Offensive witnessing is what we see most often, people makinig opportunities to witness, starting conversations about the gospel, etc., like what Paul and others in the Bible did.

Then there's the defensive witness as well, maybe that's where us introverts come in. There's a verse that illudes me - maybe somebody can find it, that talks about always being ready to give an answer when somebody asks you about our faith. Witnessing opportunities may not come as often as we'd like, but one thing we can do is prepare ourselves for that time (if it comes) when somebody asks us. And of course, in the mean time, we try and work on our offensive witness as well.