Outreach During the Holidays
As we approach the holiday season, we have the opportunity to spend significant time with many friends and family members whom we know and love. A lot of our friends and family are not walking with the Lord and we might be unsure of their spiritual condition altogether. What might it mean to be intentional as a gospel-witness among our families? Who might the Lord draw to himself and usher into the kingdom of God? How might God use our time together to soften hearts and turn eyes and hearts toward Christ? Here are a few ways that we can be intentional this holiday season as believers.
#1 Prayer – Even before our first hug, pray that the Lord would open doors, soften hearts, give us words to say, and be an ambassador of Christ. Pray before, pray during, pray after.
#2 Confession – Are there unresolved hurdles in our relationships? Past hurts? Painful words we wish we never said? Has it led to a coldness in our relationships with those whom we genuinely love? Perhaps the Lord is giving us an opportunity to show gospel-humility and confess areas of sin that need to heal.
#3 Overbearing or Non-Confrontational? Are we prone to being too “in your face” in our conversations? Or are we so protective of comfort that we fail to speak up when there is opportunity? Pray for courage, pray for faith, pray for wisdom.
#4 Expressing Thanks – The holidays bring a time of thanksgiving unlike any other time of the year. What an opportunity to express this gratitude and to share of the work which Christ has done in our own hearts!
#5 Meaningful Conversations – Every conversation doesn’t have to end with an altar call. However, what might it mean to go from talking about football to talking about how to handle frustrations? Or how impactful could it be to go from your typical conversations about the weather to talking about moral absolutes? Being willing to take conversations to a deeper level can be hard, but spiritual conversations with family and old friends don’t often appear out of nowhere.
#6 Adorning the Gospel – Patience, kindness, and love are some examples of the fruit of the Spirit. This side of heaven, none of us will be perfect – and it seems like our families know this about us better than anyone. Get-togethers with family are often places where our patience can run thin, and the witness of Christ in our lives can be met by our bitterness and selfishness. Let’s try and remember to adorn the gospel with the virtues of Christ this holiday season.