As I flew home I was thinking about this blog and being intentional as an everyday worker for Jesus. I had exchanged pleasantries with the person I was sitting next to and we had both settled into relaxing after being away for work. As I thought about being intentional, I felt challenged about engaging with the person next to me and so I initiated some more conversation. Several questions and lots of listening led to me sharing about my work and my story of believing in Jesus. This wouldn’t have happened if I was not intentional.
Juliet and I find being intentional in a few key areas helps us as we seek to be workers for Jesus. One of these is to pray regularly for family, workmates, neighbours and friends. We do this together before work and often when we drive somewhere. You may need to find different times. Prayer often leads to little initiatives and good conversations with others.
Speaking about Jesus at the right time is another intentional area. I find the advice in Colossians 4:6 very helpful, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” A gracious conversation is characterised by kindness, affirmation, forbearance and concern for the other person. A conversation seasoned with salt will be flavoured by Jesus and his kingdom in some way. Being gracious and salty guide us in how we converse about Jesus, something that has become increasingly important in our current cultural context and vividly demonstrated recently by Israel Folau’s comments and commentary on this.
Near the end of our conversation on the plane I asked, “If you don’t mind me asking, where are you personally with God?” I am seeking to ask more questions to prompt spiritual reflection, along with sharing parts of my faith story and relevant wisdom from the Bible.
For reflection
How are you being intentional as an everyday worker for Jesus?
