Think Spiritual Conversation
“Whatcha studyin’ there?” a voice came from behind me. I turned to see an older gentleman putting on his coat. Let’s call him Roger.
We were in the YMCA lobby, and as I do three other times a week, I was spending a few moments in petitionary prayer prior to hitting the gym. I have a three-ring binder that I use as a guide, and I guess it looked like I was studying. Roger wondered what.
He said he has seen me doing it a lot. Said he was curious.
I told him I was actually praying, about things and for people. The conversation immediately became spiritual. Roger prayers too. He grew up in the area. He’s 79. His son struggles with addiction. He’s got great-grandkids. He was raised Catholic but watches good Bible teaching on the TV. He likes leaving good tips in restaurants.
I told him that generosity is the heart of God. That it’s the reason we’re all here. And that Jesus really meant it when he said it’s more blessed to give than receive. I asked for his son’s name, and told him I’d pray for him. And I did. And then Roger left to go about this day. I stayed and prayed and got in three sets before I needed to get on with my day.
Sowing, Watering, Reaping
1 Corinthians 3:5–9,
What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.
This passage is part of Paul’s argument to debunk the tribalism that was going on in Corinth. His basic idea is that God is the one who is mainly at work in salvation, and though he uses different means along the way, we are wrong to give too much credit to the means. Paul tells the Corinthians that he is only God’s fellow worker, but you are God’s field, God’s building. You belong to him, Corinthian church!
That is Paul’s point. And at the same time, we also learn something here about the way God saves, that he does use means.
God ordains different people at different times and in different ways to carry out his work. Put simply, we could say God’s saving work involves sowing, watering, and reaping.
This is helpful a practical level, because it means our primary calling in evangelism is to witness to Jesus. We witness to Jesus, which might mean that we sow, or it might mean we water, or it might mean we reap — but either way we remember it’s God work. He’s using us according to his plan, whether sowing, watering, or reaping.
First and Most Basic
But here’s the thing: whichever one of those God might be pleased to do, he rarely does any of them without conversation. First and most basic, we have to talk to people. But then secondly, we don’t just talk to people, but we talk to them about spiritual things.
We want to have spiritual conversations. That’s really the only way we can sow, water, or reap.
So at the level of imagination, I wonder if this helps you the way it helps me. When I walk into a place with strangers or unbelievers, I’m not thinking first “I should share the gospel with these people.” I’m certainly not opposed to that. It would be great. But I’m thinking first: I want to have a spiritual conversation where I can witness to Jesus, knowing that God is the one who is at work to sow, or water, or reap.
The conversation with Roger was short, but I had the feeling he was telling me things he’s not told others recently, at least not like that. And I’m guessing he heard me say things he’s not heard recently either. Spiritual things. In a real conversation.
And it was so easy. I’m eager for the next one. God, give us appointments.
