The most important moments that pass us by are not Paris flea market purchases, or cactus candy.  From what I wrote about yesterday, you might think that I was talking about buying stuff.  No.  I was just saying that missed opportunities cannot be reclaimed.

The most important things that we miss are those moments when the opportunity to say something meaningful to another person passes us by.  We worry what they might think.  We worry that they will find us "different."  Or odd.  Or too religious.  I encourage those people that I teach to practice "speaking up."  You can learn how to do it.  I encourage them to develop a spiel.  Opening dialogue.  Verbal interaction in a way that doesn't cause another person to feel like you have an agenda.

Because lets's face it, there are a lot of rude pushy "so called Christians" out there that don't really care about people.  They just have an agenda.  They like to argue.  They like to put people down.  They like to look "holy."

But if you sincerely want to share Christ, you have to care about the other person.  My opening "spiel" usually goes something like this:  "Have you lived in Edmond very long?  I'm new here."  Which usually opens the door to conversation.  And down the line somewhere I might ask: "Have you found a church here that you like?"  That is usually it.  I normally wait till next time I meet them to find out more.  Unless my questions lead to more discussion about churches--or not.

But if you really don't care about the individual or their spiritual condition, forget it.  You won't be able to be sincere no matter how hard you try.  Unless you are a great actor--and why would you want to do that.  We aren't oscar winning hypocrites.  We love God.  God loves us--and we want others to know that God loves them, too.  Beating people over the head with a Bible won't accomplish that.

Missed opportunities come and go because we aren't ready to identify them.  Or we don't know what to do with them.  Moments pass us by, never to be repeated.  Take the business of recognizing opportunities seriously.  Develop an attitude of bravery.  God will be there.  He's in it with you.  It's His plan anyway.