Come and see

“And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” John 1:46 NKJV

“Come and meet Tim,” my longtime friend Stacie said Saturday morning as I finished up my run at the pavilion adjacent to the finish line of the Free Donut Run 5k our Frog Fitness Group ministry hosts on the third weekend of every month. “Hi Tim!” I said as shook his hand and then looked at the laminated cards he was holding that had the word CHANGE printed on them. “Please tell me about the cards you have,” I said. “I’m on a mission to evangelize,” he responded before going on to explain how his job as an Army recruiter led him to the park that day. “Recruiters are told to be rejection-proof,” he said. “And that’s what the Lord is calling me to do... to go out and recruit the lost no matter how many times I might be rejected.” “I love that!” I exclaimed smiling big, and then added, “It sure is easier to handle rejection when we don’t take it personally isn’t it? When we realize that the One they are rejecting is Jesus and not us?” “Yes ma’am,” he replied with a grin. “That’s why I keep on trying. I’m not gonna give up.” Do you just love Tim’s attitude or what?

And you know, that’s the same attitude we as Christians must have when it comes to evangelism. Sadly though, the majority of us don’t have this never-give-up attitude. We fear rejection so much that we either don't witness at all or will only do it to a person once—never bringing up the subject of Salvation again if that person declines our invitation to accept Christ the first time. But in a world that needs Jesus more than ever, we must invite the lost to “come and see” this Savior from Nazareth who has the power to change lives both now and in the hereafter as many times as it takes for them to accept Him. We must be bold, yet gracious, when telling the unsaved about Him and we must be be rejection-proof.

So remembering that the Great Commission is a command and not merely a suggestion, let us strive to be rejection-proof my friend. Let us always remember that when we are spurned, it’s not us they are turning away but the One they so desperately need. 

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the reminder that we are called to share the Good News of the gospel to the ends of the earth. Give us a heart for the lost Jesus so we would do that very thing. Break our hearts for what breaks your’s Lord that would be emboldened to invite the lost to “come and see” as many times as it takes. In your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!!