Gayle’s* sister, Sue*, had been in contact with me through WhatsApp throughout the lockdown period, and I was finally able to go and see her. The subject of her and her family wanting to travel abroad illegally came up. Sue shared that she felt that God was against her because every plan that she pursued in life seemed to just dissolve. I asked her, “What if God is protecting you from something, or what if God has been closing these doors in order for you to receive something of greater worth?“
I then spoke very directly to her and said that all the things she had been pursuing were things of this world, and no matter which plan it was, it would never bring her true peace and joy. Then, I shared the gospel with her, declaring how true joy and peace could be found despite our circumstances.
Continuing, I asked her what she thought her security in life was and what she thought her life was built upon. Was it God or was it the things of this world? She did not respond much, but the next day when I spoke with Gayle, she said that Sue had been awake all night pondering my questions.
Something I learned through this situation and just over the time in lockdown – it is okay to be bold and direct when sharing the gospel. Being in a culture that is not your own and wanting to be accepted in the community, there might be the tendency to be overly considerate of one’s feelings when sharing the gospel. Through this situation, however, I have learned that when it comes to the gospel, speaking directly might be exactly what someone needs in order to push him/her toward God. The gospel will always be offensive, but we should not hesitate to share it in its entirety and to ask people to respond.
Please pray for Sue’s salvation.
*NOTE: Names changed for security reasons.
