“Use your words.” Did you ever have your parents tell your two-year old self that phrase? Sometimes little kids don’t know how to articulate things they want to communicate. They only know how to react with emotions. Tantrums are rough. But if they don’t tell us what they are feeling, we won’t know.

However, I think that phrase works for so much of life. I never truly understood what it meant to use my words in regard to the gospel until I was in my late teens. I can remember once when I was with a group friends going out for a late-night dinner at IHOP, and we had such a great waitress serving us. I often forget how being a waitress is a difficult job, because some people treat you nicely, but others treat you horribly. You often see entitlement at its worst. I wanted to bless her, so I gave her an unexpectedly large tip and just wrote on the receipt, “Be blessed.” As I was walking away, she told me that was so nice she could cry, after the kind of day she had. I just smiled and left it at that.

Later that night I was convicted because she didn’t understand the WHY behind that action. She just thought I was a “nice person.” That’s not the point. I don’t want people to only think of me as a “nice person.” I deeply desire broken people to come to saving faith in Jesus, and I know they can often be drawn to Jesus through our love for them. The only reason we are able to do kind acts of service is because Christ has shown us that love through the gospel.

Yet how often do we do “good deeds” or “bless people” without Jesus in the picture? “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). My point is that we can be doing all the right and nice things, but if the gospel is not articulated, then how will they come to saving faith? Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the message about Christ. Amen!?

We need to be gospel people. We need to articulate the gospel and not underestimate the power of the gospel we’re articulating. We can’t just be nice people. People need to know your WHY. There’s a reason behind why we are kind, and we can’t be timid about that. It’s the difference between life and death for everyone.

Someone brought the gospel to me when I was 12 years old, sharing the good news that Jesus died for my sins, was raised from the dead, and now offers forgiveness and eternal life through the power of the Holy Spirit. Just like someone shared the gospel with you, will you share it now with others? We need to use our words, because faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the message about Christ!

Questions to Ask Yourself

1. Who is a person the Lord has placed on your heart who you need to share the gospel with?
2. Is this a season when your faith is in abundance, or is it lacking? What can you do to intentionally be reading and hearing God’s Word consistently?