I have a confession to make: I do not have a green thumb. It is not one of my spiritual gifts.

I have several plants in my apartment. But they are all plastic in nature. I can’t seem to keep anything that is green alive. I think I even killed a cactus once. I guess even they need a little water on occasion. My family made a bet with me last summer that I couldn’t keep a plant alive until the Fourth of July. I won on a technicality!

That being said, I do very much enjoy watching things grow.

Spring is one of my favorite times of year. I love watching the trees burst forth with green leaves, coming alive after a long and dreary winter. The smell of lilacs brings a smile to my face.

Spring reminds me that there is life again after the darkness of winter. It also gives me hope that this is true in my own life as well. That when those dark times come into my life, as they sometimes do, the hope I have is that “weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5b) For me, that hope is found in Jesus Christ.

God has given me a passion to tell others about the Good News of what He has done for them in Jesus Christ. There are many people in my life that need to hear this. They need to hear about the hope that they can also have. They need to hear that they are never alone. Above all else, they need to know that they are loved unconditionally, no matter what they have done.

I get excited when God gives me opportunities to share this Good News with others. What about you? Do you have people that God has placed in your life who also need to hear the Good News?

But do you ever wonder how you do that?  

For me, it's through befriending, listening, sharing, and planting seeds. Let me explain.

1. Be a friend to them. Get to know them as a person. Develop a relationship with them. Build trust with them. People don’t care how much you know until they know that you care.

2. Listen to their story without judgment. Everybody has a story to tell. Most everybody has some pain  that they have experienced. And I believe people have a need to share with others that pain. Most people, whether they know it or not, have a deep need for connection. I believe God has wired us to be like that. Sometimes I believe that our greatest fear is of never being fully known. (I remember hearing that somewhere but don’t remember where). Move past the superficial into deeper connection.

3. Share part of your story with them. People need to hear the hope of what God has done in your life. I think it gives them hope that He can work in their lives as well. You don’t need to know a lot of Scripture to share your story. I have heard many times from people, “I can’t share the Gospel.  I just don’t know enough of the Bible.” You don’t have to. Just tell people your story. I do, however, encourage you to get to know more of God’s word through daily meditation on it. Pray for God’s wisdom about how and when to share your story. He will lead and guide you.  

4. Plant a seed. If they are not attending a church, invite them to go with you. Continue to encourage. Don’t give up on them, but be gracious. I prayed for two years for someone I know to come to church, and they eventually did. This is not about our timing. This is all about God’s timing. I have found this to be very frustrating at times because I so much want to see others grow in their faith. But 1 Corinthians reminds me that the growth is not my responsibility. It is God who brings the growth (1 Corinthians 3:5-6). It is our responsibility to plant the seed. Again, be patient.

As Galatians 6:9 says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” These are encouraging words for all of us. Remember, there is much to harvest. Jesus reminds us “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:37-38)

Who in your world is God prompting you to share the good news with? Pray that He may open doors and hearts to begin those conversations.

Cindy Mastel has a passion for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with others and encouraging others in their walk of faith. She has been on a journey this year to learn more about who God is and has been memorizing scripture to help her on that quest. When not working with developmentally disabled adults, Cindy enjoys meeting friends over coffee and spending times with her two beautiful nephews. Cindy lives in Bismarck, ND and has chosen to stay single at this point. She considers herself "married to God."