Recently, we spent time in another town. While visiting with friends, we were seated near a table with a 9 year old and her guardian — probably her grandmother. When grandma left to fill her plate I thought I would try to engage the child in conversation. She looked straight ahead and remained silent. When grandma came back I mentioned that I tried to speak to the girl but she refused any conversation. Her response caught me a little by surprise since I never want any child to be afraid of me. “She has been taught not to speak to strangers; We don’t know you.”

My first impulse was to say how could you ever know anyone if you don’t communicate? I get it that they want to protect the child from predators but they are setting her up to miss out on the opportunity of fellowship. Fellowship is what God wants from us. “No speaking to strangers” also puts us in conflict with my next point. Christians know about “The Great Commission.” It is a promise we make to God, after we have accepted Jesus. In essence, and by faith, we pledge to take the message of the gospel to all we will meet in life. We promise to keep the faith, that in Jesus, he is the savior of all mankind, at least those who want him.

We see Jesus telling us this in Matthew 28:18-20. The other point is listed in Romans 10:13-17. In these verses is the truth that Jesus revealed to the Apostle Paul. The spreading of the gospel will be done by the preached word and by the mouths of believers. The heart of each individual must willingly be opened by the telling of the Gospel — from one person to the next. Whenever God’s word goes out, even from the lips of a novice, the Holy Spirit is making use of them. The world in which we live is full of preachers who preach but never tell the truth of scripture. This was the same predicament Amos faced in 800 B.C. He had to be called away from his animals so his people could hear the real truth. Our world is no different than the Old Testament people; we are mired in theories and false statements created by Satan and repeated by unbelievers. If you want eternal life, you must believe Jesus is the only way.