The Strength in Weakness

Sonny grew up in a Buddhist family in China, but about 10 years ago spent 8 hours in a conversation with a Christian during a long bus ride, hearing about and asking questions about the Gospel. Since that time he’s had multiple conversations with Christian relatives wanting him to come to faith as well, yet he remains unconvinced and unmotivated to pursue Christianity any further.

So who am I to think that I, as a complete stranger, could now bring Sonny the new life that comes through repentance and faith in Jesus, all in a brief conversation at the grocery store?

I don’t. That’s a job only the Holy Spirit can do.

Yet I walked away from our conversation rejoicing, even though his heart seemed to remain unmoved. Why would I feel this way, don’t I care about his eternal soul?
I do, but what caused me to rejoice is that I know his story isn’t finished yet. The fact that he’s had multiple people and conversations about the Gospel tells me that God is patiently working in his life. I’d had the privilege of being just one in a series of faithful Christians proclaiming Gospel truths to Sonny in conversational ways that he can understand and relate to.

My hope for Sonny isn’t in that chance encounter at the grocery store, or in my lacking efforts at evangelism. Paul, one of the greatest evangelists the world has known felt the same way: “When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling.” (1 Cor. 2)

Paul went on to say the power of the Gospel to change hearts and lives didn’t come from the speaker, but through the Holy Spirit: “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.”

I rejoice in the proclamation of the Gospel no matter the outcome, because the power of God for salvation gives life no matter where it is preached, all according to God’s wisdom and timetable.

And I’m just glad and privileged to be one small part of it.