August 17
Evangelism: "I Gave It All Up!"
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. --2 Corinthians 5:17
I have been asked more than once what I gave up when I was converted and became a believing child of God. I was a young man, and I well remember that I gave up the hot and smelly rubber factory. I was making tires for an hourly wage, and I gave that up to follow Christ's call into Christian ministry and service.
As a youth I was scared of life and I was scared of death--and I gave that up. I was miserable and glum and unfulfilled--and I gave that up. I had selfish earthly and material ambitions that I could never have achieved--and I gave them up.
That forms the outline of the worthless things that I gave up. And I soon discovered that in Jesus Christ, God had given me everything that is worthwhile.
If God takes away from us the old, wrinkled, beat-up dollar bill we have clutched so desperately, it is only because He wants to exchange it for the whole Federal mint, the entire treasury! He is saying to us, "I have in store for you all the resources of heaven. Help yourself!" Jesus, Author of our Faith, pp. 49-50
"Why am I so hesitant to share the Gospel, Lord--when this is what I'm asking people to give up? Thank You for all we gain through our new life in Christ--in exchange for all the junk we give up! Amen."
