Prayerful Conversations

In this passage, Paul gave instructions to the Colossians about sharing their faith with those around them.  This is often a difficult thing for Christians to contemplate.  The though of going up to the non-Christians around them, out of the blue, and proclaiming the Gospel to them is daunting, and seems likely to backfire; it can even seem underhanded and manipulative.

However, that's not what Paul taught the Colossians to do.  He asked the Colossians to pray for him and for other missionaries, who were (and are to this day) engaged in proclaiming the Gospel.  He also taught them to act with wisdom, to treat those around them with grace, and to "know how to answer everyone".  In other words, he taught the Colossians to build relationships with their neighbours, and tell them about the Gospel when their neighbours asked them about it.

Paul's guidance is useful for us, too.  Getting in people's faces about Jesus, all day every day, will likely only alienate and upset people.  Instead, we should build honest relationships with those around us, treat them with respect, and share our faith with them when the opportunity arises--typically when they ask us about it.  This still takes courage and wisdom, which we should ask the Lord to give us, but this approach is more likely to draw people in than drive them away.

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