“‘Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,’ said Philip.” John 1:46 NIV
Have you ever been in a store and just couldn’t find what you were looking for? I have – far too many times!
I will search aisle after aisle, to no avail, until I finally break down and do something which goes against the very essence of being male – I ask for help.
This is a major concession on my part, so I appreciate it when the person I ask, instead of just giving me directions, actually takes me to the correct aisle and points out the product I am looking for.
The Search
We human beings spend a good portion of our lives searching for something, many times with no real idea what we’re searching for. We just know something’s missing. What we don’t realize is what we’ve been searching for all along is God.
So we try this thing or that, read books, search the net, all in a vain attempt to fill that God-shaped emptiness inside. Finally, in desperation, we do something which goes against our very nature. We ask for help.
Assaulted by the Word
Unfortunately, when we do finally take this step and ask a Christian for help in finding God, they instead inundate us with information. Prophecy. Doctrinal arguments. Scriptural references.
I had a colleague once who, when describing his witnessing to an acquaintance, bragged, “I hit him with about 20 Scriptures in 10 minutes!” Ouch! That’s not witnessing! That’s assault!
At other times, in our search for God, all we get are directions. “Do this.” “Don’t do that.” “Eat this, not that.” “Go here, not there.” It’s not very helpful. In fact, it can be downright harmful!
Too often Christians’ approach to witness does nothing more than get the other person’s dander up. It causes them to get defensive and fight back with arguments of their own, pointing out inconsistencies in our arguments and even in our own lives.
Christianity, after all, has gotten a pretty bad reputation through the years because of the behavior of Christians. Is it any wonder then, that many, like Nathanael, are tempted to ask, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
Come and See
What we really need, in our search for God, is for someone to say, “Come and see.”
When I ask you where I can find God, don’t just tell me. Show me! Take my hand and say, “Come and see.” Like the woman at the well, say, “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did!” “Come see what Jesus has done for me. Come see what He wants to do for you. Come and see.”
Everywhere you go today you will come in contact with people searching for a God to love. As you interact with them, remember, a caring touch speaks so much louder than words. Personal experience means far more than even the most eloquent argument. So, don’t tell someone what you believe, until you show them how you love. Don’t just tell them about Jesus. Show them Jesus!
Today, when someone asks you how to find God, don’t just give them directions. Instead, put your arm around them and say, “Come and see!”