Charley is a straight talker from the Bronx, NY, who isn’t ashamed of his faith in God. The first time I met Charley, I shook his hand and he said, “I’m Charley, a sober drunk who loves to help the least and the lost.” And the cool part is that’s exactly what he does! He will gladly share all the mistakes he’s made, if it will save you from making one of your own and if it will help you get closer to God.
One day, we were talking about times that we need to explain and discuss our Christian faith with others. We agreed that sometimes we may find ourselves in a debate or defense of our faith. Charley said, “You may be able to argue with me on details of the Bible, but you can’t argue with my story, because it’s my story of what Jesus did for me.”
That is exactly right. We all have a story to this point in our lives, which is always developing into a greater story. Don’t you like to listen to a someone tell a good story? Aren’t we attracted to a good story in a book or movie? Jesus told stories all the time, called parables, to teach his disciples.
Well, guess what? You have a story! How did you first come to believe in God? If you haven’t done that yet, what is the story behind what is holding you back? What joys, challenges, and changes have you seen happen in your life since following Christ? What have you overcome through the help of the Lord?
Do you think Lazarus had a story to share? He was raised from the dead (you can read the full story in the Bible in John Chapter 11). I can just picture Lazarus out at his kid’s sandlot baseball game with the other dads, trying to nonchalantly bring it up…
“What a great night, huh fellows? The other team seems to be giving up a lot of walks. Speaking of walking, did I mention I’m walking right now because Jesus brought me back from the dead?”
There are many places, times, and ways to share your faith and your story with others. Some are more effective than others, depending on the situation.
The point is that we all have stories we can share that can build others up. Perhaps, God delivered you through a time of struggle. Perhaps, you may be telling a story of why you don’t believe in God or have much faith in Him. That can open the door to a great conversation with someone, as well. Whatever your story, know that it is yours, and God is with you in it. Know that sharing your story can encourage others and help them build their faith in God.
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