Acts 27:25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.

It’s amazing the impact the faith of one person can have. Enough had happened already on this trip for everyone, and not just Paul’s companions, to feel like he was some sort of holy man or guru, and that prompted them to pay attention to what he said. By this time they were ready for any good news! Those around us may not have such an impression of us, but we still have the opportunity to impart faith by our words, however many or few might receive them. It is interesting to me that where the NIV says, “I have faith in God,” the Japanese says, “I have faith because of God.” Faith is a gift, (Ephesians 2:8-9) and like all gifts from God we are accountable for how we use it. We might believe and receive the benefits of that faith, but how much better if we share our faith so that more people will be blessed by God? We don’t know who will receive and believe for themselves, but if we don’t share, they won’t have the chance to believe. As Paul had written sometime previous to this, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Romans 10:14) We tend to think of “preaching” in a formal and/or negative sense, but this isn’t that at all. Rather, it is proclaiming God’s truth, whatever the circumstances. A popular saying goes, “Love isn’t love until you give it away.” Faith isn’t quite like that, but it is demonstrably true that the more you share faith, the stronger your own faith becomes.

This is something I have experienced for myself and I have observed in others as well, sometimes to my amusement. I’ll never forget one man who hadn’t yet been baptized, even though he had been coming to church for several years because of his wife. We were in a restaurant after going Christmas caroling as a church, and he vigorously presented the Gospel to a young man who was only peripherally connected to the church. Needless to say, it wasn’t long before the first man was baptized, and he has recently completed seminary studies, after retiring from his previous job! As a teacher, I’ve also experienced the reality that one of the most effective ways to learn something is to teach it to someone else. If we want our faith to grow, and we should, we need to share it!

Father, thank You for this reminder. This could easily be another message, but this coming Sunday being a 5^th Sunday it will be just music and testimonies. Show me when, where, what, and how to share, so that the abundance of Your grace to me may have the full effect that You intend, for the blessing of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!