By: Obed Pineda
A common misbelief very popular in society is that it is very difficult to meet new people. One could surmise that a primary reason for the immense popularity of social media is because it eliminates the discomfort of having to speak in person. Having the ability to speak from behind a screen and keyboard, undoubtedly emboldens a person because it lessens the sting of rejection. In reality, it is this fear of experiencing pain and shame via rejection why so many shy away from creating new acquaintances. This sentiment of exposure and vulnerability often amplifies a false sense of failure, and deters several from making another attempt. Nevertheless, having made the sincere effort in wanting to initiate a genuine conversation with someone is already a victory in of itself. Allowing the treacherous thought of failure to deter us from trying again, is erroneously concluding that all people are the same. It is wise to already have in mind that the person we choose to initiate a conversation with, may not want to converse in return. However, this does not mean that we have been utterly rejected; it simply means that that person did not want to talk. Thus, we should go on to the next person and try again. Still, there are others who are afraid of speaking to strangers because they will not know what to say or how to even begin a conversation. This uncertainty of saying the “wrong” thing is fueled by a similar fear of being pegged as awkward, and to be made an outcast as a result. Curiously, these thoughts, and others similar to these, are the very thing that prevents a person from befriending others. He who allows this to be so, is overthinking the situation by trying to anticipate the outcome prematurely, thus making it more complicated than it actually is. Therefore, they ultimately defeat themselves before they even begin the conversation. The truth is, there is no key ingredient that guarantees a one hundred percent success rate of being liked by every person you encounter, because everyone is different and unique. For this reason, the solution is simple; just be natural, be yourself. This simple, but effective, solution is even more true when it is applied in preaching the Gospel to non-believers. When it pertains to spreading the seed of the Gospel, too many are discouraged from doing so because they do not know where, or how, to begin. Those who hold on to this excuse, are over complicating by trying to anticipate an outcome before the attempt is even made. The error that is typically repeated in these similar scenarios is that the person is not being natural because he is trying to be someone else. The problem with this is that the power of God’s salvation is not found in a man’s character, therefore this is why the tactic fails. Remember that Holy Writ declares that “we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us” (2nd Corinthians 4:7, emphasis added). Additionally, the same inspired apostle also made manifest that “the Gospel of Christ…it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek” (Romans 1:16, emphasis added). Upon espousing that we as men are the “earthen vessels” that the Almighty chose to hold His treasure, it becomes clear that every Christian has been enabled with the capability to proclaim the glad tidings of salvation, regardless of eloquence or education. The veracity of this is enlightened when one observes the variety found among the twelve the Master hand picked to be His apostles. When Peter and John encountered that lame man asking for alms at the gate of the temple, Peter spoke, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk” (Acts 3:6, emphasis added). Notice that Peter acknowledges his limitation to the man asking for money, but this does not stop him from helping. Although the lame man was not asking to be healed (for Scripture reveals that he sat at that gate to ask for alms), Peter uses this opportunity to unveil the power of God by using that which the Holy Spirit had provided him with. Observe that Peter’s words were simple, direct, and sincere. The simplicity that Peter used to preach about Jesus to the Sanhedrin, when questioned about the miraculous healing of the lame man, brightened more the might of God’s power. The beloved physician, Luke, details that “when they [the Sanhedrin] saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13, emphasis and addition mine). When Paul found himself in need of defending his apostleship to the Corinthians, he discovered that he was being despised by his adversaries because “‘his letters,’ they say, ‘are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible’” (2nd Corinthians 10:10, emphasis added). Over and over, Paul was looked at as inferior because of his physical demeanor or because his presentation of the Word, paled in comparison to that of Apollos (see Acts 18:24). Yet, the apostle’s response to this was, “For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles. Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things” (2nd Corinthians 11:5-6, emphasis added). Once more, the power of God was highlighted by the earthen vessel carrying the heavenly treasure. Like Peter, Paul did not deny that his skill with words was not as polished as some of the other “eminent” apostles, but that becomes moot since the message of the Gospel that had been conveyed to them had “been thoroughly manifested.” Thus, this reiterates that the message being heralded is what is most important and valuable; not the delivery of it. There is no excuse that validates not being able to spread the Gospel of Christ to the world, since the Bible proves that it can be done in a simple manner. One of the greatest examples of how valuable a natural approach to teaching the Gospel in simplicity, is given by Philip’s invitation to Nathanael. When Nathanael questioned, “‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see’” (John 2:43-46, emphasis added). There was no philosophical dissertation. There was no theological debate. Philip simply invited his friend to go and see for himself what he had found. If more were to imitate this simple example, many more would also find Christ.