Keep Chipping Away

I was with a national Christian friend in town awhile back and we were having a conversation about sharing the gospel with people who were opposed to it. I was relating how I had been sharing the gospel with a man who is from the majority religion in the country where we work. The majority religion here—animism—is very opposed to many points of Christianity. I was explaining that I talked to this non-Christian man about the fact that all men are born separated from God as sinners and all are in need of forgiveness of our sin debt. To this, he listened and agreed. Then, I began to share about how only through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ would God accept men. As soon as I started talking about Christ, he quickly changed the conversation. He did not want to hear any more.

As I told this story of my experience to my Christian friend that day, he told me a great illustration. He said, “When you want to split a rock you have to chip away at it, and it takes time and patience. You have to hit the rock many times before a fissure will form. Then as you keep working on that fissure, eventually the rock will crack and then split. Just like that, it is important for us to keep at sharing the gospel with our friends from the other religion. They are like a very hard rock. But as we keep chipping away at them and don’t give up, eventually some of them will soften and then break, putting their faith in Christ!”

My friend had the right perspective! It is important for us as Christians to keep “chipping away” at our unbelieving friends and family. If we truly believe the message of the Bible, then we understand that the future looks very bleak for those who die in unbelief. And the cruelest thing we could do for our unbelieving friends and family is not share the Good News!

Now being a proclaimer of the Good News starts with our lifestyle. Living out a Christ-like testimony in front of them (even when it is not popular) is one of the greatest ways we can share the gospel. After all, anybody can talk about what they believe, but those who live out what they believe? That is powerful! Another way we can “chip away” at our unbelieving friends and family is to pray for them. Pray for God to open their eyes and hearts to Truth so that they can see clearly and understand fully what amazing thing the Lord Jesus has done! And of course a final way we can “chip away” at our friends and family is to share the Good News with our words. We need to be ready and looking for opportunities to communicate the death, burial, and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. For those who recognize their sinfulness and put their faith in the substitutionary death of Jesus, God the Father will forgive them of their sins and accept them into His everlasting kingdom.

Now this could be a long and drawn out process. Just as it takes time and patience to split that rock, it could take much time and patience to reach our unbelieving friends and family members for Christ. But, as we continue to faithfully “chip away” at the unbelieving people in our lives, we can trust that God will soften some of their hearts and break them of their pride and unbelief. And they will turn to Him, be saved, and become part of the family of God! So don’t be weary, but keep “chipping away”!