“Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!” John 4:35
God wants us to share His love and truth with others, but sometimes we get hung up. What do I say? Where do I begin?
Jesus had been speaking to a sinful, broken Samaritan woman about the water of life. As His disciples arrived with food, “they marveled that He talked with a woman” (John 4:27), a Samaritan woman at that.
But this woman had been so impacted by her encounter with Jesus that she left her water pot and rushed back to town. She told the village, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” (John 4:29).
For some of us, talking about Christ comes naturally. But it’s not as easy for all of us as it seemed to be for the Samaritan woman. Maybe we’re shy, or maybe we’re worried someone will ask us a question that we can’t answer. The Samaritan woman didn’t know much, but she knew what God had done for her. Her message was simple yet compelling.
Sharing Our Story
The most effective form of witnessing for Christ is personal evangelism. Crusade evangelism and programs have their place, but nothing can substitute sharing the life of Jesus one-on-one with someone. And sometimes simply relating our own encounter with Christ is the best way to do it.
If each of us went out every week and said, “Lord, use me to share Your love with somebody,” we would see many people come to faith in Jesus. The problem is that we get intimidated—and we miss out. We need to start by praying, “Lord, bring about an opportunity,” and then when God brings one, we need to speak up.
While the woman was gone, the disciples said, “Lord, here. Eat.” But Jesus said to them, “I have food that you don’t know about.” They looked at each other, saying, “Who brought Him food?” Jesus told His followers, “My food—that which nourishes and satisfies Me—is to do My Father’s will and finish His work.” Jesus was telling His disciples, “If I need to eat, I’ll eat, but I’m taken up with something else right now.” He went on to say, “Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!” (John 4:35). Jesus wasn’t talking about fruits or vegetables. He was talking about souls.
Our Mission Field
Every one of us is to be involved in gathering this great harvest of God. When we step out our door each morning, we go into the mission field. Our coworkers and neighbors and family members are the people God has placed us among. Or perhaps the Lord may want us to pack our bags and go to another country. The fields are white for harvest in the world today.
I do not understand the mentality of Christians who are upset about people immigrating to America from different nations and cultures and religions. To me it is a great blessing—the mission field is coming to us. God is bringing people from the Middle East, from Asia, from South America so that we can bring the gospel to them.
The townspeople were touched by the woman’s testimony. It piqued their interest in Christ, so they went and listened to Jesus themselves. They told the woman, “We believe now not just because of what you said but because we’ve heard Him for ourselves. This man really is the Christ, the Savior of the world.”
God Wants To Use Us
Ultimately, each person is saved by hearing Christ speak to him or her personally, but our testimony may be the tool that the Holy Spirit uses to draw a person to the Savior. Let’s ask God to give us opportunities to speak to the people in our world.
God wants to use you. The laborer in this story was a simple, sinful woman, but she brought a crowd of people to meet Jesus. If you are scared to witness for Christ, simply pray, “Lord, I am willing. Open a door for me to share Your love with someone today.” He can do a great deal with a life that is yielded to Him.