Why I Write

On most Friday or Saturday nights, you will see a street preacher perched on a busy street corner in our hometown. He has an old hearse and other macabre items as a backdrop and a megaphone proclaiming everyone is going to hell. I find myself not wanting to make eye contact with him for fear he would come jump in my car at the stop light. He really isn’t doing anything wrong so why does it bug me?
Why does the person who comes door to door witnessesing bug me? Only thing I can point to is that is not my style of evangelism. I am a naturally shy person so why I took a class on evangelism is beyond me. Oh I know – I felt like I wasn’t doing my part to spread the gospel and was made to feel like I was a failure. So in college, I started taking a class on how to evangelize and share the gospel. We memorized scripture (which I am horrible at) and then we went to the mall and approached random people with the intent of sharing the gospel and giving a tract of information. I have never felt more awkward. I felt like a failure as a Christian because of my feelings of inadequacy. It has taken me a long time to realize that style of evangelism is not for everyone and it is definitly not for me and that’s okay.
We as Christians are all called to make disciples but how we do it is directly tied to the talents and gifts God has placed in us. I am a relational person who generally makes friends easily. I have this personality that seems to make people comfortable talking with me and I try to give godly wisdom in their situation. I am not that in your face Christian. Maybe as I get older i will approach becoming that because I won’t care what people think. So the title of this piece is about why I write. I write because I feel firstly God has given me a gift of words but in written form. I can write it down. Rearrange it and add flavor. I do not feel as though I speak eloquently because I get distracted and forget important details and I feel like I come off sounding foolish.
I also write because I am a reader and being such. I tend to re-read things and in doing so often find new insight. I hope when folks read my articles they learn new things too and feel encouraged. I am also a teacher, not just in school setting but in Sunday School, or I have been in past. In public school I cannot share scripture or directly pray with students, but unbeknownst to them, I do pray for them. I cannot teach things of Jesus but I instead try to be Jesus and look at them through His eyes. It all goes back to being relational. Many times I have had a student come by after school and break down in tears while telling me their parents are divorcing or other heartbreaking things. Do they need a sermon then? No. Just a box of tissues and a listening ear. Sometimes a hug. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. We are suppose to be a light. Some of us spotlights;some of us candles. Both illuminate the darkness and bring hope to a lost and dying world.
We need to let our light shine in whatever vessel (gift) God has bestowed upon us. We also need to minister in love. Without that being the source of our light, we will be rather noisy. Think of a gong or clinging symbol. So how do you let your light shine? What is your true motivation ?