Come and See
By Jana Kelley
“‘Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?’ Nathanael asked. ‘Come and see,’ said Philip.” John 1:46
“You have your religion, I have mine,” the lady sitting next to me on the airplane says. I cringe. How should I respond?
I love sharing about Jesus, but hate being blind-sided by an unexpected reaction. Not wanting to get into a debate, I struggle to turn the conversation around. When that happens, my enthusiasm for the gospel often changes to frustration. I know I’m talking about a relationship with Jesus Christ, not a religion, but effectively communicating that truth can be daunting.
I’ve often wondered if this was how Philip, one of Jesus’ disciples, felt when he told a friend of his exciting discovery of Jesus. Nathanael responded to Philip’s enthusiasm with a skeptical question. Not dissuaded, Philip said, “Come and see.” Then he brought his friend to meet Jesus. Read the rest of John chapter one to see how the experience far exceeded Nathanael’s expectations.
God hasn’t asked us to be eloquent speakers or to defend Him with clever conversation. He wants us to tell the wonderful news of Jesus and invite others to come and see for themselves.
Skeptics can debate my arguments for Christ. But they can’t deny what He’s done in my life. And if their hearts are open, a personal encounter with Jesus might exceed their expectations, too.
Are you ready to be the personal introduction between your friends and Jesus? Like me, you may not be a great orator. But inviting friends to see what He’s done in our own lives—now that’s something we can do!
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Jana Kelley, a contributor to Wholly Loved Ministries’ devotional project, is a Texan who hardly ever lives in Texas. Raised in Southeast Asia, Jana developed a love for cross-cultural living early in life. Her love for writing came soon after. She and her husband married in college and by their second anniversary, they lived in a remote African town. After 13 years in Africa and the Middle East, they moved to Southeast Asia where they and their three boys currently live. Jana is the author of two devotional books and three novels. You can learn more about her at janakelley.com.
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Originally published Monday, 18 November 2024.
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