Daily Thought For July 12, 2017

Sharing The Good News

It shouldn’t surprise us that when Jesus sent his apostles out to preach, he told them to go only to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:6). Although Jesus came for all humankind, he held a deep love for Israel—his own people—because they were God’s chosen ones. He knew that every event in Israel’s history had led up to his coming, and he wanted to fulfill all God’s promises to them.

Jesus likely had another reason for restricting the apostles to their own people at first. What better way to learn the basics of evangelization than to start with their brothers and sisters in faith? They had grown up with the same rituals and traditions, so they knew where to start. It was probably a good thing that they didn’t have to deal right away with the complexities of pagan religions and philosophies. They could concentrate on the basics of getting out the gospel.

Just as the apostles had to start somewhere, so do we. And the best place to begin is at our own doorstep, within our families and communities—the people we already know. As Paul reminds us, God wants us to do good to everyone, “especially to those who belong to the family of the faith” (Galatians 6:10). The mission to those in our midst is just as important as missionary work thousands of miles away. In some ways, it’s even more important. If we don’t bring the gospel into our homes, who will? If our neighbor doesn’t discover Christ in us, where will she find him?

You may think it’s impossible to witness to people who know you—especially people who know you well. But that’s just not the case. Your family loves you, and you just need to speak lovingly to them. You may not have the most persuasive words. You may not give the most consistent witness either. But you don’t need to be perfect. You just have to show yourself as someone who cares enough to share God’s love with them. And that’s something anyone can do. So today, look for the openings the Spirit will give, and just share what’s in your heart.


“Jesus, help me to see the opportunities to share your love with those closest to me.”

Daily Reflection from The Word Among Us (www.wau.org)