Looking for some simple Bible devotions? Verse reflections like this are by everyday Christian writers—real people just like you! They help give us reasons why the Bible is relevant for everyday life, and how we can connect with God each day.
True Godly Love
Are you overthinking sharing your faith? Sometimes, it’s more about how to be an effective witness of God’s work in and around you, rather than spurting Bible verses at people.
Let’s read through Phillip’s verse reflection and learn about some good ole true godly love, and how that can help us (and those around us) better connect with God.
Scripture: “The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Return home and tell how much God has done for you.’ So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him” (Luke 8:38-39).
Written by Phillip Palacios
If you’re like me, when you’ve had opportunities to share your faith with friends you’ve felt unqualified or unsure of how to express yourself without jeopardizing your friendship. I wonder if “sharing our faith” is even what we should be concerned about.
I read a story of Jesus healing a non-Jewish man oppressed by demons recently (it’s in Luke 8:26-39) and was struck by something.
Jesus and his disciples are confronted with this man and Jesus not only approached him, which would have violated a bunch of religious cleanliness codes, Jesus healed him—out of love and compassion. But the next part is what really grabbed my attention.
After he was healed, this man begged Jesus to let him follow along and learn from him, but Jesus refused, telling him to go and “tell how much God has done for you” (v. 39).
This man had no religious training, no history of doing the right things to measure up to God’s—or Jewish religious’—standards. I’ve often thought of Jesus sending this man as a missionary, as an “in spite of” moment—“in spite of” his lack of qualifications.
But perhaps what Jesus is demonstrating here is that it is precisely because he had nothing to offer that he was ready. He was loved and healed by Jesus, and that was enough to share.
Why It Matters
When it comes to sharing our faith, perhaps we should let go of the idea of having the “right answer” or “best approach.” Instead, let’s share the love and healing that we have received. Not out of a desire to win over to a side, but out of the true love and compassion that Jesus placed in our own life that can’t help but overflow to the world around us.
Do you ever need some good Bible verses to reflect on? We’ve pulled a few of our favorites for our verse reflections that work as short, simple devotions to better connect with God in the everyday moments. See this link to check them out!
