Catch of the Day

From evangelism to neighborliness
by John Fischer

A couple of our readers made some quotable comments from yesterday's Catch about making people who don't know Jesus yet happy that they know you.

Ray wrote: "Five minutes to show that you recognize someone as a person and an individual can make that person's day. I live in a two-college town, so most are students. One way to notice someone is to ask where they are going to school and if they seem responsive, what their major is. None of this takes a Bible scholar. It only takes a minute."

And then Steven wrote: "Our churches provide lots of teaching on evangelism, which admittedly is important. I do think, however, that we need more teaching on neighborliness. Who is my neighbor and how do I love him?"

It just might be that if we were friendlier neighbors, kinder customers, more gracious hosts, that more people will end up knowing Jesus because of us.

In a fragmented society where not everyone speaks the same language, everyone understands a message of loving service. A cup of cold water offered in the name of Jesus needs no translation. In his letters to the early Christians scattered throughout Asia, the apostle Peter wanted them to have a reputation for making their towns better places in which to live. The point was to silence the critics of the gospel by the contributions Christians were making in their communities.

What if a businessman disliked Christians and then found out that the Little League coach who spent extra time instilling confidence in his son was a Christian? What if a social activist criticized Christians but kept running into them working overtime at the social agencies in town? What if a working mother put down Christians and then found that her children's favorite schoolteacher was one? What if a homosexual liked to bash Christians, and then discovered that one of them visits him regularly now that he has AIDS. What if a CEO tried to put down Christians, and then discovered a respected leader in the Chamber of Commerce is a Christian and noted philanthropist in the community?

Remember, caring for people doesn't take a Bible scholar; it only takes a minute.