House, children, family, food, the latest gossip. These are the things that matter most to a particular group of ladies whom I call my neighbor friends. Yes, they will engage in conversation about abstract things like religion, sin, and heaven. But this doesn’t really get them on a deep level. That’s surface and irrelevant (to them). For sure these topics are important, but perhaps there is a way to first show them in a tangible manner that Jesus is good news for them. Because:
Jesus is Good News for Everyone!
(I digress perhaps, but I can’t help thinking of Mr. Portokalos in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” who can find the Greek origin to any word you give him.)
Look at these examples of every-day people who had every-day problems, and then discovered that Jesus was good news, not just for their temporal problems, but for their eternal ones as well:
The woman at the well in Sychar
(John 4:1-45) Jesus was good news for this woman because He offered living water and she disliked drawing water that only lasted for a little while. After talking to Jesus, she discovered His good news went deeper than her need for drink. And as a result, many Samaritans followed Jesus.
The woman caught in adultery
(John 8:1-11) Jesus was good news for this woman because He literally saved her life at the brink of her losing it in a most unsavory way. We don’t know if she obeyed His words, but I’d like to think she did (verse 11). Jesus first helped her with her most pressing need (rescue from death) and then addressed her eternal problem (sin).
The man born blind
(John 9) Jesus was good news for the blind man because He gave the man sight. Later that man gave such a convincing testimony of Jesus that, as far as I can tell, he became the first believer to be kicked out of the synagogue for the name of Jesus. That’s quite an honor!
Is Jesus Good News Today?
What’s the good news for the people I met this week?
For the man at the Buddhist shrine who wanted me to help him pick a lucky number for his lottery ticket: the good news is that through Jesus, he can know that God takes care of his future.
For the three ladies and their Tai chi teacher who I found rubbing the statue of a turtle in order to get money: the good news is that through Jesus, God already loves them and they don’t have to earn it or rub some statue to get it.
For my new friends, cousins who are old widows and never had children: the good news is that through Jesus, God loves them, even if they don’t have the blessing of children.
I want to look at the people around me and see that Jesus is good news for them. I’d like this habit to grow in me so that I see God’s goodness everywhere and can’t help but point it out.
What About You?
Is Jesus good news for you? I already know that the answer is YES! But can you see it?
And can you see the good news for those around you? Will you join me in nurturing the habit of pointing the Good News out to others?