The Simplicity of Sharing the Gospel

I’m not going to lie: I’ve personally had a rough few weeks. Admittedly, I’ve had self issues for a very long time. Whether it’s physical, mental, emotional, self-worth, or whatever, I’ve always been rather rough on myself.

The last couple of weeks, however, Satan really attacked me with them. Working two jobs in and of itself takes a great toll, but when you feel like you’re still not making enough to provide for your family, that hits harder. Then something goes wrong with the house and you feel the belt tighten more. You don’t feel like you measure up when you go to the gym. You see your friends and family generating success, but when you look at yourself you only see failure. You feel bad because you feel like you should be doing more or being better, but then you fall short and feel even worse.

That’s how the last few weeks have been for me. Then, the final straw hit me. Cookies. Stinkin’ chocolate chip cookies. I wanted to make something nice for our annual Memorial Day Church Picnic, and I found what I thought would be a great recipe for the night. The cookies didn’t turn into the gorgeous, bakery-window-worthy morsels I expected but melded into this unexciting, garbage-looking mess of dough and chips.

That night after the picnic, I needed to hit the gym. What, I’m going to skip leg day? Not a chance. I get to the doors of the gym, and I realize I left some of my equipment at home. Great. Another failure. So, I drive home, grab my stuff, and drive all the way back to the gym. I get changed, I get loose, and then I grab a squat rack. I knock out a warm-up set, and then this swimsuit model looking guy walks up to me. You know, perfect skin, great hair, looks like he has about 3% body fat, should be down in the Bahamas on a photo shoot, etc. “Great,” I think, “I bet I took his squat rack. Or he’s going to ask how many sets I have left and I have to tell him it’ll be about a half hour.” I pop out my earbuds and ask him what’s up.

“Hey, man,” he says, “I just wanted to let you know you’re loved by God.”

I had never met him before. I also never go to the gym on Sunday nights, let alone Sunday nights at 9:30. But, God knew exactly what I needed, and He set up exactly the right time for me to receive it. And, boy, did I need it. That one sentence was like a breath of fresh air in my lungs. And this guy, who’s name is Austin, all he had to do was be faithful to what the Lord called him to do. Something as simple as that moment can have a lasting impact, potentially even an eternal one. Be faithful in the small things.

One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.

Luke 16:10