As many of you may know, I work at a retirement home. I absolutely love serving the residents and building relationships with them. Each night that I work I serve them dinner and typically wash all of the dishes and pots afterwards while my coworker sweeps and mops. There seems to always be that one pot or pan that just wants to be difficult. Whether cheese has fused to it through being on the induction heaters, or the bottom of the pot of soup was not stirred enough and is burned onto the pot. I have to dedicate quite a bit of time to these dishes in order to get the job done right. I typically have to go back and forth from using hot water, to a sponge, and occasionally silverware to scrape it off. Clearly, the sponge is not going to help before I have sprayed the pan. And using a knife or spoon will not be effective when I just have a little bit of residue left on the bottom. Each tool I use has its own strength and weakness, and I know when to use them.
Don't worry, I'm done talking about dishes now! God knows how to reach the people He created. He knows exactly what your coworker, spouse, friend, client, parent, or authority needs to hear and how they need to be approached. Whether it is a matter of sharing the gospel or keeping them accountable for sin in their lives, He knows them so much better than we do. It is so easy to think things like "I'm too direct. That will not be received well." or "I haven't known them long enough to have this conversation yet," or "They just saw how much I was struggling with this a month ago!"
You have been placed in their life for a reason. It is not by accident that you know this person. If God has put on your heart that they need to hear something you have to say, do not disqualify yourself from that. You very well may be the right tool He is wanting to use. You may not be the very last step in bringing them where they need to be, but that does not mean He cannot use you for His purpose. If they've seen you struggle, you do not know how God has used that in their life. If you have only known them for a short time, you may very well be the only person they are still willing to listen to. If you are "too direct", maybe they are in a place where they will not listen to anything subtle. It could be a thousand other things, but the reality is that we do not know where exactly they are with God right now or what their heart needs to hear, but you do know that your God does know these things! He knows what He is doing even when it boggles our minds. Our job is to trust what He is doing and be obedient.
In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus proclaims, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” We know this as the Great Commission, and we have each probably heard one hundred sermons preached on it. Be careful not to just gloss over it and take for granted the fact you know what it says. Imagine for a moment that this was the first time you heard it. The One with "all authority" and giving US a command. He does not just hurry through it and move on, He goes into detail about what all this involves and how to do it. Not to mention He is promising He will always be with you as you do it.
There is no denying the fact He wants you to be faithful to speak His truth into the lives of those around you. Do not make excuses to disqualify yourself from that. You may be what someone needs right now, are you willing to be used by Him?
