Worth Sharing Week 1- Good News

WHAT?

Imagine you have been in a situation where you were surrounded by people who knew — or felt that they knew — more than you. Situations like that can be intimidating, especially if you're asked to share your thoughts. You don't want to embarrass yourself, so you wait to say something until you know you won't. This is what social media is often like. We see people post all day, and their content is amazing. These are people whose lives seem picture-perfect. Sometimes it feels like, "Why would I share? It won't be as good as what is on my feed." Underneath it all, maybe we chase that perfection because without it, we don't feel qualified. There's a desire to be better, not for ourselves, but for our likes, retweets, and followers. Maybe, we don't feel like we have the skills or experiences for anyone to pay attention to what we share. How do we deal with the feeling of wanting to share our experience but not feeling qualified?

SO WHAT?

It can be easy to feel like we aren't prepared enough or qualified to share what God is doing in our lives, especially if that is not something we have done before. A character in the Old Testament named Samuel probably felt similar to you. In 1 Samuel 3:1–18, we hear about how he got his start.

Samuel was just a young guy at this point. He hadn't been following God with decades of experience — he was still learning and in no way prepared for the magnitude of what was about to come. There would be times when, as a prophet, Samuel needed to say hard things to the people he loves. So it's important that he maintained a close connection with God. The prophet's call was immense, and learning to listen and respond to God's voice was the only way that Samuel would make it through. This willingness is all it took to qualify Samuel to do everything God called him to.

This isn't the only time Scripture encourages God's people to deliver God's message. In 2 Corinthians 5:18–20, the Apostle Paul talks about what it looks like to be people representing what God is doing in the world.

2 Corinthians 5:18–20 NIV

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

Paul explains that we are Christ's ambassadors, another word for spokespeople of Jesus Christ. We have a simple message that is really good, simple news — reconciliation. Paul wants us to see that even if we don't feel prepared or are still learning to hear God's voice, we are called to share the good news of what God is doing in the world. No matter who we are, what we have gone through, or how unqualified we feel,

God invites us to share the good news.

NOW WHAT?

Here are a few things that can help us share the good news.

KNOW THE PLATFORM:

When you open an app for the first time, you need a second to understand the platform you are using. For Christians, we need to take time to understand and articulate the good news of Jesus. Take some time to understand the good news of Jesus and how you can share that with others.

LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO SHARE:

Think of your friends, classmates, dance partners, and the crew you play video games with. You can share your story and what God has done in your life with them. This is your chance to be a friend who takes a risk and shares the good news.

ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT'S SCARY:

Talking to people can feel scary. You might not know how to start or what to say. You might be afraid of rejection, disappointment, or being laughed at. Recognize those thoughts and feelings as they attempt to prevent you from introducing people to a God who loves them. When we name our fears, they have less power and are easier to keep in check and overcome.

The Bible is inviting you to live a life where even if you feel unqualified, unprepared, or scared, you can remember that

God invites us to share the good news.