People often experience near misses and close calls, for example – narrowly avoiding a traffic accident. In response some will often say something like, “thank God!’
These moments provide an opportunity to speak of Christ. Caring, concerned questions may lead to an opportunity for the gospel. When someone says, “thank the good Lord, that was close!” Look for an opportunity to talk about what was said. Perhaps something like this:
Your friend, Joe, called you to pick him up after he was in a minor accident. Joe says it could have been much worse.
“Hey Joe, that really was a close call.”
“Yep, the man upstairs was looking after me.”
“Well, no doubt about that. Joe, we are friends, right? Well, as your friend let me ask you a question. You are happy to acknowledge that God just saved your life. Why wouldn’t you want him to tell you how to live your life?”
“Excuse me?”
“Hey, remember, we have been friends for a long time. You have told me many times that your personal life is not exactly where it should be. I am just saying, maybe you should consider that while you are glad for God keep you safe, you don’t have much interest in living the way he tells you to. Maybe God has something for you to think about with this close call.”
“Getting a little judgmental there, aren’t you?”
“No, just trying to be a good friend. If God is the one who keeps you safe and alive, maybe you should consider that it is ungrateful to ignore the way he commands you to live.”
“Uh, never thought about it that way. Maybe I will think about what you said. Just don’t get all judgmental on me.”
“No worries! Just remember, I am not the one who just saved your life. Catch you later.”
This is an example of making the most of an opportunity to bring the gospel to others. The point here is just to get a conversation started. Initially, you don’t need to cover all of the theological bases. You just want to get things started and trust God for the rest.
Everyday you have close calls as a family. Use these times to make practical application of the gospel to your children. This practice will provide you with great experience to spread the gospel to others that God has placed in your life.
Something to think about!