Walk in wisdom toward
them that are without,
redeeming the time. Let
your speech be alway
with grace, seasoned
with salt, that ye may
know how ye ought to
answer every man
(Colossians 4:5-6).
In fulfilling the Lord’s
injunction to spread
the Good News of
salvation all over the
world, the Church has
taken advantage of
several innovative means
such as television,
radio, satellite,
telephone, and the
internet to reach many
more people at once. As
effective as these are,
there’s still a kind of
evangelism that we
ought to pay serious
attention to; it ’s the
“house to house” and
“street evangelism,”
where you reach people
one-on-one with
theGospel. Many think
this has become old-
fashioned, but it ’s not.
The Apostle Paul, in
Acts 20:20-21 said he
preached the gospel
“ publicly” and from
“house to house.”
Publicly, meaning he
preached openly, and
then from house to
house, means he
preached the gospel to
people one-onone, in
their privacy. However,
to engage in this kind
of one-on-one
evangelism today and
have results, you have
to employ the wisdom
of the Spirit. That’s
because you may find
yourself talking to
people who are evasive
or simply uninterested,
or even completely
averse to Christianity.
Thus, a wise approach
is required to get their
sustained attention.
The Apostle Paul
demonstrated this in
Acts 17:22-23, when
he encountered a group
of religious people with
different persuasions
at Mars’ Hill: “Then
Paul stood in the midst
of Mars ’ hill, and said,
Ye men of Athens, I
perceive that in all
things ye are too
superstitious. For as I
passed by, and beheld
your devotions, I found
an altar with this
inscription, TO THE
UNKNOWN GOD.
Whom therefore ye
ignorantly worship, him
declare I unto you. ”
Through the wisdom of
God, Paul was able to
get their attention and
preach to them. He
didn ’t accuse them of
being stupid or foolish.
Neither did he call
them idol worshippers
even though he noticed
that they worshipped
many gods, including
one that they called
“ The Unknown God.”
While acknowledging
their religiosity, he
used the opportunity of
their ignorance to
teach them about this
“ unknown God,” and
shared with them the
mysteries and
revelations of Christ.
Learn to approach
those you want to talk
to about Jesus with
wisdom. That way,
you ’re very likely to
communicate the gospel
more excellently to
them. Remember, our
message is good news,
and it ’s intended to win
people to Christ, and
not to condemn. Even
when preaching to
those you know are idol
worshippers of the
various religions of the
world, don’t talk to
them against their
religion. Just present to
them that which they
have not known —Christ
—and they’ll be more
likely to accept your
message than to turn it
down and become
violent.
Prayer
Dear Father, thank you
for giving me the grace
and the opportunity to
be a soul winner.
Today, as I preach the
Good News to people in
my sphere ofcontact, I
do so in wisdom. My
words are
communicated to them
with grace, seasoned
with salt, by the power
of the Holy Spirit, in
Jesus ’ Name. Amen.
Further Study:
James 1:5-6
Jas 1:5 If any of you
lack wisdom, let him
ask of God, that giveth
to all men liberally, and
upbraideth not; and it
shall be given him.
Jas 1:6 But let him
ask in faith, nothing
wavering. For he that
wavereth is like a wave
of the sea driven with
the wind and tossed.
Acts 26:24-32
Act 26:24 And as he
thus spake for himself,
Festus said with a loud
voice, Paul, thou art
beside thyself; much
learning doth make
thee mad.
Act 26:25 But he said,
I am not mad, most
noble Festus; but speak
forth the words of
truth and soberness.
Act 26:26 For the king
knoweth of these
things, before whom
also I speak freely: for
I am persuaded that
none of these things
are hidden from him;
for this thing was not
done in a corner.
Act 26:27 King
Agrippa, believest thou
the prophets? I know
that thou believest.
Act 26:28 Then
Agrippa said unto Paul,
Almost thou persuadest
me to be a Christian.
Act 26:29 And Paul
said, I would to God,
that not only thou, but
also all that hear me
this day, were both
almost, and altogether
such as I am, except
these bonds.
Act 26:30 And when
he had thus spoken,
the king rose up, and
the governor, and
Bernice, and they that
sat with them:
Act 26:31 And when
they were gone aside,
they talked between
themselves, saying,
This man doeth nothing
worthy of death or of
bonds.
Act 26:32 Then said
Agrippa unto Festus,
This man might have
been set at liberty, if
he had not appealed
unto Caesar.
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