A GRATEFUL PERSON SHARING

Gratitude causes us to share the gospel of Christ boldly.  We want others to experience this great thing that Christ has done in us.  This truth is beautifully illustrated in a story my teacher, Dr. J. T. Seamands, who loved to tell about a clubfooted boy in England.  He lived in a small town with his widowed mother.  Because of his deformity he could not walk properly.  A businessman, who was a friend of the family, visited them one day and told them of a doctor in London who was having great success in operating on young people with club feet.  "If you will give me permission," said the friend, "I will take your son to London and see what this doctor can do for him.  I will take care of all the expenses."  The mother gratefully accepted the offer.

The boy was taken to London.  The operation was a success.  The businessman kept the mother informed of her son's progress.  Finally she got a telegram saying that the businessman and her son would be returning by train.

The mother could hardly believe her eyes as she saw the son walking up to her.  He leaped into her arms and started to say, "Mother, I will ... " but that is as far as he got.  The mother stopped him and said, "Son, don't say a word.  Just run up and down the platform and let Mother see how you can do it."

He ran up and down once or twice and then went to his mother and began to say something.  But again she cut him short and had him run up and down the platform.  Finally, the mother was satisfied and the son was able to say what he wanted to say.  "Mother, I will never be satisfied until you meet the doctor in London.  He's the most wonderful man in the world."

Evangelism is just like that. It is a grateful person sharing with another what Christ has done in his life and can do in this other person's life too.  As D. T. Niles used to say, "Evangelism is one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread."

-- Ajith Fernando in The Christian's Attitude Toward World Religions


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