Dn. Raphael Do you have a fear of evangelism?
Don’t know what to say? Don’t know enough? Afraid of offending a friend? Not good at answering theological questions? Or maybe it’s something else. Fear easily stops action… or initiates it. Some fears are life-threatening. Other fears are merely an inconvenient detour to your goal.
When I was a child more than anything I wanted to drive a car. In Arizona you could get a learner’s permit at fifteen years and seven months. Is it still that way? All you have to do is pass a written test and you can drive with an adult in the car. Hot diggity dog!
As that magic day came I was prepared. I studied the Arizona Drivers’ Manual. I took the drivers’ education class at my high school. And when I took that test I passed. First time. Victory!
Except for two setbacks.
The first was my mother didn’t want me driving on busy streets. She wanted me to practice driving in a parking lot. Or in our neighborhood—you know, nice and slow.
She drove all the way home from the testing office. She said she was too tired to pull over and let me drive when we entered our neighborhood.
What was she afraid of? I was not afraid of traffic, for I was learning how to drive our family sedan. Did you notice? I rewrote that sentence personalizing it from Louisa May Alcott’s from above.
The second setback was pure fear. As I fell asleep that night it occured to me that driving is a serious thing. Maybe even a deadly serious thing. Passing the test was one thing. That was me proving I knew the rules. I never actually drove a car. Huge difference.
My mother was right. I needed to practice first. I could be in an accident like our former neighbor, Jerry. He used to hot-rod up and down the street in his parents’ car. He was 16 when he was in a serious accident. I remember seeing dried blood all over their ivory car seats. Everyone survived, but he was seriously hurt for a long time. He drove like a little old lady after that, and not the little old lady from Pasadena. I could do worse: kill or maim someone with my driving. I definitely didn’t want that.
And so, (sigh), I let my mother’s fear guide me. She always had an excuse for her to do the driving. She was always in a hurry so she would drive “this time.” I didn’t challenge her. This went on for three weeks. Did she remember Jerry too?
My dad noticed I wasn’t driving. He wondered why. He picked me up from school one rainy night. I played trumpet in our school’s jazz band—an award winning band I’ll have you know. We practiced every Tuesday and Thursday night from 7:00 to 9:00.
On the way home he stopped at the red light at Southern and McClintock (we lived in Tempe). “How long have you had your learner’s permit, Son?”
“About three weeks,” I replied.
“How many times have you been behind the wheel?”
“Well, none Dad.” Oh, I knew where this conversation was going and didn’t like it.
“Why not?”
“Mom hasn’t taken me out yet.” Yeah, blame it on Mom, that ought to work.
The light turned green. Just after the traffic light he pulled off to the right, a bus stop.
“What are you doing, Dad? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. I pulled over so you can drive home. Three weeks without driving is too long.”
“Dad. No. It’s okay. It’s raining hard. It’s cold and windy. It’s night. Nobody learns to drive under those conditions. I have never driven before. It’s too dangerous.”
I kept churning out those excuses then added my best one: “I don’t want to wreck your car and possibly hurt you.” That should get him driving again.
He said, “Now is a good time to begin.”
“No Dad, it’s okay. I don’t have to start tonight.”
Can you guess where this conversation went?
“Well, Son, here’s the deal. You can walk home or drive home. Your call.”
Unbelievable!!!
“At night? The wind? In the cold rain? You don’t want me to catch a cold.”
“Did I not make myself clear?”
And so, my first time driving was on a cold, windy, rainy night. Needless to say, we made it home safely. My fear turned out to be baseless. I think another quote is appropriate here:
“One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn’t do.”—Henry Ford.
I want you to know that evangelism is only fearful if you don’t learn it. Once we complete EBT you will say as Henry Ford did, that you too are surprised. Jesus wants all His followers to share the gospel. Sign up now. Click here.