For Such A Time As This: Stewarding God-Given Moments For Evangelism

You have heard it said, "Life is precious; therefore, live for the moment.” But I tell you, rather than live for the moment, live in the moment. To live for the moment in the modern vernacular is to enjoy life without care or concern and, in some cases, remove any moral restraints or inhibitions (though that's not necessarily true for everyone). For the believer, though, we may live in the moment but be oriented towards the future.

Believers are called upon to live with a heavenly mindset (Colossians 3:1-4), which reminds them that they are destined not for this world but for eternity in the house of the Lord. And yet, they are called to live in this world as well (cf. Ephesians 5:15-16; 6:13). We could say a heavenly mindset determines one’s earthly presence. How believers live in the world is determined by what they think about the eternal world (1). Believers live in the moment, but they do so knowing that it's not necessarily about this moment itself but its relationship with the future that drives them, considering the implications of this moment for eternity as they go along.

The implications of living in the moment but oriented towards the future tell believers of their need to steward the moment. Indeed, life is precious, calling each of us to steward each of these God-given moments. The consequences of this are far-reaching, and thousands of words could be exhausted discussing the various ways this truth comes to bear in the Christian life. However, the emphasis here at the Harvesters blog is evangelism, discipleship, and missions, and it is worth considering how those God-given moments are stewarded for evangelism.

How we steward the moment for God’s gospel begins by setting our mind upon who God is.

There are several principles to set your mind upon when stewarding the moment.

• Remember God is Creator: First, remember that God is the creator of all people. Therefore, those who stand before you are the product of His creation and will.
• Remember God is Sovereign: The circumstances you are enduring and the people placed in your life have been placed there by the Lord’s design.
• Remember God is Good: As the circumstances and people are placed in your life by the sovereign will of the Lord, they are also the result of His goodness, meant for your good and for the good of others.
• Remember God is Glorious: Finally, God is glorious, and the moments He has given are opportunities to reflect that gloriousness.

Setting our minds upon God and who He is as God is consequential for stewarding those moments because it reminds us both that God is valuable and people are valuable, and so in those moments, we steward them by pointing people towards God, regardless of how we may think or feel at that moment. By remembering who God is, we seek to use those moments for God, putting Galatians 6:10 and Colossians 4:5 into practice.

What does this look like?
It may take various forms depending on the circumstances, but generally, there are three ways in which one can steward a moment for evangelism.

• Produce Works of Joy: The first way to steward a moment is simply by living in joy. Regardless of how difficult the circumstance or person is, acts of joy leave an impression on people. It may be that the moment is not a time to share the whole gospel. Instead, the wise decision may be to simply use that moment in such a way that it preserves future opportunities for gospel sharing by living out the life in Christ.
• Plant Seeds of Truth: Another way to steward the moment is to leave behind nuggets of biblical wisdom, truths that the person will have to reflect upon in the upcoming hours or days. Simply offering the counsel of the Word allows someone to see the wisdom of God applied at the moment and often produces future opportunities as the individual comes back for more counsel.
• Proclaim the Glory of God: Of course, the most significant way to steward the moment for evangelism is to proclaim the gospel, showing the magnificence of God at work through Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.

Wisdom comes in responding according to the Lord's leading at any given moment but keeping in mind that it is a moment to be stewarded for God's glory, perhaps by engaging in evangelism.

We would do well to remember that every moment, every interaction, and every situation is God-ordained, and purposed by Him in our lives. Because we do not have perfect knowledge and wisdom as the Lord does, we lack the ability to know precisely the intentions of the Lord at that moment. Yet, we don't need to know. We only need to remember that God is at work, and our response is to respond in a way that stewards the moment for people's good and for God's glory.

(1) The same is true for unbelievers as well. You’ll likely find that how an unbeliever lives in this world is guided by what that person thinks about eternity.

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