Favorite: Three ways we encourage others with our faith story
Silhouette of Community Friends (Dollarphotoclub}
Why Share Our Faith Story: Part three of four parts
Editor’s Note: This four-part series is taken from Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story: Tools, Tips, and Testimonies by Nancy HC Ward. The series includes The series includes Six Reasons Jesus Calls Us to Evangelize, Six Ways Sharing Our Faith Story Helps Us Grow, Three Ways We Encourage Others with Our Faith Story, Three Ways We Glorify God by Sharing Our Faith Story. Enjoy!
Evangelization is part and parcel of being a Christian, but sharing our faith is not simply a chore to be carried out. When we share our faith stories with others, not only do we grow as Christians, but we encourage others and give glory to God.
We are not evangelizing for our own glory, but to glorify God. Sharing our story is not about showing how pious or holy we have become, but how God’s love for us has transformed us. We acknowledge his power and might in showing how he has been able to bring good even out of our neglect and sin.
For our good, God commands us to glorify him, for it is only by living to glorify him that we can be truly holy and happy, as St. Paul wrote in Philippians 4:12–13:
I know indeed how to live in humble circumstances; I also know how to live with abundance. In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need. I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me.
Therefore, we share our story for the glory of God to work through Christ within us for the benefit of others.
We share in God’s divine life as he created us to do
He willed this purpose for us to enjoy abundant life. When we share our story, his glory shines forth through his divine life within us. Others see him glorified in our story and they, in turn, glorify him. Saint Matthew put it this way: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16).
We build God’s kingdom
The parable of the workers in the vineyard in Matthew 20 describes God’s attitude toward those who work to build the kingdom and those who won’t. As God’s co-workers, we build his kingdom not only in formal ministries as teachers, religious education instructors, pro-life advocates, but also as nurturing parents, faithful spouses, honest employees, and helpful neighbors. The Holy Spirit prompts us where and when to evangelize. Our calling to evangelize encompasses every facet of our lives, including those we know and those silent observers of our faith walk who have yet to ask us about our story.
We uphold God’s reputation
We represent him by proclaiming the wonders he has done in our lives. Remember that we speak for our Lord Jesus Christ. Our confidence is in his power to speak through us. He is the way, the truth, and the life—that’s the connection that we can reinforce in ourselves—and the connection we help others strengthen as we share how he transforms our lives. I love how Saint Peter sums it up:
Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence. (1 Peter 3:15–16, NABRE)
All God needs to water the arid hearts of those we meet is our smile, a listening ear, or a spontaneous word of encouragement as we relate an incident of God’s grace that changed us. We can bring little drops of God’s grace into the lives of a new acquaintance or a long-troubled relationship. Like the morning dew, our witness can be a trickle of the Lord’s living water to soften the hard ground of the hearts of those not yet ready for a watershed of evangelization.
Ask Yourself: Am I surprised by any of the ways that sharing my faith story gives glory to God? Which one amazed me the most?
