Jesus possessed every gift in perfection. He had all the rights and permissions accepted in the spiritual world, and He used them as necessary. The most vivid of His experiences have come down to us as well. And if we examine what the Lord occupied Himself with most, we can see that He spent most of His time with His disciples and, in His public ministry, more time healing the sick than preaching the word. And when speaking with people, Jesus did not give direct answers, but usually responded with a question of His own or revealed the essence of the truth.
I have always wondered why so little was written about Christ and why many of His disciples did not leave us a single line of instruction or testimony about our Saviour. I would very much like to know what He said in personal conversations, how He testified to people about God, whether He had a sense of humour, and how His cheerfulness manifested itself among people.
How I would love to sit at His feet, listen to His stories, and simply admire the One Who came to save me, Who loved me long before I came into existence.
If only I could catch even one glimpse of this wonderful Man. But He said that blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed, and this makes me glad. Just imagine: we love the One Whom we have never seen, listen to the One Who has never spoken a single audible word to many of us, and obey the One Who is present in our imagination. It is interesting that, although we have different perceptions of God and His love, we are united in this matter.
I often hear the expression, ‘I will tell others about God,’ and I have become so accustomed to it that I do not even think about what it means. Now I have decided to understand what role this plays in my life and whether I do it.
The phrase is very good, but I have also noticed that it has become something of a stock phrase. It serves as an excuse or a screen that conceals my ignorance, my laziness, and my unbelief.
There are simple things that I do not need to tell people because they can see them for themselves. For example, I do not explain to anyone that I am a man. And that is so. I do not hide this truth and am ready to defend it, but for some reason no one asks me about it.
I have also noticed that when I begin speaking with strangers, even without saying a single word to them about God, they ask me in Whom I believe or to which denomination I belong. Sometimes they try to understand this from the way I live.
I never forbid people to use foul language in my presence, but for some reason they themselves decide not to do so when they come to know me better.
When I begin to show people love and friendliness, for some reason they understand me without unnecessary words.
I also find it surprising that many of you, simply by reading these lessons, begin to consider me your personal friend. Moreover, you are so sure of this that you even write or tell me about it, although I have not personally declared our friendship. Yet you understood me without words, accepted me, and made room for me in your heart, and then told me about it. I accept this, but I did not speak directly about friendship—how did you know? Some of you consider me a friend but, out of modesty, will never say so for fear of being rejected. But I am inclined towards friendliness and am ready to give it to anyone within the boundaries of that person’s choice.
In previous lessons, we touched upon the fact that friendship contains an element of the supernatural, and this is so. When I come into contact with other people, God wonderfully begins to use me according to the situation and the other circumstances in which I find myself. I may say one thing, but people hear what they want to hear or what I represent. And I know that something similar happens with every believer.
When I tell a stranger that God loves him, he most likely hears, ‘I want you to become like me.’ Although I do not say this, that is precisely what he sees in me.
What does ‘speaking about God’ mean? I do not wish to diminish this phrase, but I want to understand what I put into it and what others hear in it.
There was a time when I made it a rule in every conversation, and it did not matter to me whether people were interested or not. I directed all my communication towards this and then could not understand why people did not want to maintain a relationship with me. Later I changed my approach and tried to work towards it from a distance, attempting to catch the right moment to introduce an element of truth into the conversation. And often our communication smoothly moved into a spiritual direction.
Romans 10:17 states: ‘So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.’ Knowing this principle, I try to sow the word wherever possible. But the Lord also gives me an understanding of the kind of soil with which I am dealing so that I can foresee the result. If all my efforts lead nowhere and the result is zero, then I think something should be reconsidered and another approach tried.
If in business I work merely for the sake of working and make no profit, I will quickly understand that I need to change my policy and seek something better. But when I labour and testify fruitlessly for years, for some reason I consider it a spiritual achievement. I believe that the result is important here as well.
To speak about God, one must have this God in one’s heart, thoughts, and motives; one must speak with God. And God is Love, and this cannot be hidden. His desire is that this love should also be visible to other people. And this is possible if it exists. People have very many questions about love to which they want to know and hear the answers. And love answers with joy.
When I go to people, I am more concerned about whether I will be able to tell them about my love or show it, thereby revealing God to them through this attitude and assuring them that He is better than I am. Sometimes I return to my old ways and begin to tell them directly the truths that are clear to me, but people close themselves off. Love, however, finds the key to the heart and searches for the best ways.
One philosopher said that he would believe in God if he saw a true Christian. And in this there is a challenge from the world to us as believers.
I think that if I demonstrate my holiness and knowledge to people, but my love to God, that would not be a very proper decision. But if I reverse these, there will be more benefit.
I cannot always testify about the truth or about God to everyone. But I am ready to do so. I can sow by the wayside, I know how to scatter seed among the stones, and I can even sow among weeds. God has plenty of this seed. But do I need wisdom in this matter? Do I act in a similar way with the money that I earn through my labour? I think that sometimes it is necessary to conduct a deep analysis of my activity—for my own sake. By testifying merely for the sake of testifying, I will learn something, but if it produces no result, then I think this matter should be reconsidered.
Love and friendship have nothing but advantages in this respect. They prepare the soil for the true seed and bear much fruit. Through you, they gain many friends for the Lord.
Show people God—and there is a result in this. Sometimes many words are unnecessary, but faith comes by hearing. Let your heart speak, and let your love for people testify to a loving God. But this must be learned, and I think our school teaches it.
Homework 148
What new things did you learn in this lesson? What did the Lord spend most of His time doing during His ministry? What does ‘speaking about God’ mean to you? What do you think should be taken into account when the word is being sown? What can prepare the soil for successful sowing? What is the purpose of exhortation? Please read Ecclesiastes 10:12; Proverbs 20:5; 15:4; Isaiah 32:20; Psalm 126:5; John 13:1; 1 John 2:6, 10; 3:23; 5:16; 3:18; Romans 10:9–10; 1 Timothy 1:5; and James 1:5 in the light of this lesson.