Vol. 18 No. 22 | June 6, 2016
As move toward the end of the book of Acts the focus is on Paul. In fact Acts 21-26 is all about what happens to Paul when arrives in Jerusalem and arrested. He is arrested, tells his story, offers his defense, claims his rights and innocence, then repeats that scenario multiple times. Some would call what he does sharing your story. Some call what he does giving his testimony.
Reliving Paul’s story as told by Luke I notice three significant elements to consider when sharing your story. It begins with the arrest: “As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, ‘May I say something to you?’” (21:37)
As for permission to speak. You may have an amazing story that cause jaws to drop when you tell it, but not everyone wants to hear your story. It is a simple question, “May I say something to you?” It is simply common courtesy to ask before you start your story. If they ask, share it. If you ask if you can, and they say yes, share. Otherwise pray for and wait for the opportunity, then share your story.
Speak in a language they understand. Use your language. Avoid flowery church talk. Say it like it is your story, the way you feel it, not like how you think others want you to say it. Be real. Don’t exaggerate or be unnecessarily dramatic.
Tell the simple facts. There is no need to embellish the story. If God is in the story that is enough. There is no need to try to make more dramatic. It is your story. Not everyone has a made a dramatic turnaround and not everyone has a dramatic conversion. Paul is the only one we know of who was struck blind and confronted directly by God on the road to Damascus. Yours may be a simple story of God working in your life to place just the right people in your path at just the right time with just the right words. So be it. Tell your story.
Keep the emphasis on God. God is the star of your story. God is the star of Paul’s story. God is the story of everyone’s story. Resist the temptation to turn the spotlight on you. God may have done something amazing with you, but He could have done the same thing if not even greater with someone else. When requested someone may say, “Tell us your story” but the truth is, your story is really God’s story. Keep it as God’s story.
Let God handle the results. Once you share the story of how God has worked in your life let it be. Let God do with that whatever He choses to do with it. If it touches someone, encouraged someone, inspires someone praise the Lord. If it does not result in an immediate and visible impact, so be it. Remember that what He did in and with you did not happen immediately. Let God handle the results. Let God place it in the hearts where He can do the most good with it.
I hope you are praying for an opportunity to share your story. I hope these suggestions are useful when that opportunity is presented. And I hope God is glorified and a life is changed when your story is shared.
Tom
A Norvell Note © Copyright 2016. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.