One of the first things that usually happens when someone becomes a disciple of Jesus Christ is the desire to fulfill this command: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.”(Matthew 28:19)

We are saved, delivered from sin, set free! And now we want everyone else around us to receive that same wonder gift. But HOW? We were blind and now we see and we want to pull the blinders off the eyes of our friends, relatives and co-workers.

Whoa now! Be careful how you go about trying to force another to see! I have yet to meet anyone who was argued into the kingdom of God. Yes, we should have a sure and ready answer for the hope that is within us but when no question has been asked it’s hard to pound an answer into someone’s soul.

There is a better way. Paul told the Corinthians about it this way: “You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ…” (2 Corinthians 3:2) The first step to witnessing for Christ is to act like him. That way, when your friend or relative “reads” you, they will have a question. They may ask what has changed in your life because now you are so different. Even if they don’t, they are observing.

Yes, there comes a time to speak plainly and to lay out the invitation to follow Christ. Just be sure that what they have read in you doesn’t make them want to close the book!