A pastor once had a neighbor he saw often. They would chat about life—food, baseball, and their kids. Over the years, the pastor felt a nudge in his heart: Tell him about Jesus. But he never did because he didn’t want it to be awkward. So, he pushed it off until next time.
One day, he pulled into his driveway and saw his neighbor’s wife standing outside. Her face told the story before she even spoke. Her husband had died that morning from a sudden heart attack. The pastor was devastated. He had shared conversations but had never shared Christ.
Needless to say, the pastor was heartbroken. He had been more concerned with avoiding awkwardness than with his neighbor’s eternity. But there never was a next time.
How many times do we wait for “next time” because this time feels too awkward?
What we need to realize is this: awkwardness is temporary, but eternity is forever.
Loving our neighbor is more than just being friendly. It means being willing to do the awkward—because loving your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39) means caring about their eternity.
What does it mean to be willing to do the awkward?
It means speaking up about Jesus now and not waiting until next time.
Tomorrow is not promised to any of us. That’s why we need to seize the moment while we have it. The Bible says,
“People hear the Good News when someone tells them about Christ.” — Romans 10:17
Who do you need to tell about Christ? It’s time to say something.
There’s no quiet time here. There should not be a mentality of “I’ll do it later.” Jesus’ return is imminent. The Bible says, “Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2)
Do the awkward now—don’t wait until next time.
Your Challenge
Think of three people in your life who don’t know Jesus.
- Write down their names.
- Pray for them daily.
- Be willing to do the awkward—tell them about Jesus, invite them to church, and let them know you’re praying for them to come to know Christ.
Don’t wait for next time. Do the awkward now. More often than not, you’ll find they are more open than you think.
Click here to LISTEN to our latest message: iTunes – Google – Spotify
