One of the things I love about our exercise class is the lighthearted banter, the sharing, and the joy that we have hearing about each others’ lives while training nearly 10 years together. We respect each other and honor each other’s dignity and privacy. The camaraderie eases the challenges of the workouts and makes the environment comfortable, supportive and fun.
The lighthearted banter, sharing, fun and mutual respect is also a doorway into sharing Jesus and inviting others into a relationship with him. When I was involved in Cum Cristo, we said, “Make a friend, be a friend, bring a friend to Christ,” in that order. People are more open to hearing about faith, God, Jesus and prayer when they know that you care about and love them first.
I’ve shared about Jesus with some of my fitness friends — and others who don’t know him because we have something else in common first — a family, hobby or work connection, for example. Sometimes I’m struck by the fact that I’m the only active Christian this person knows. I ask the Holy Spirit to lead me into authentic conversations with people in a way that can help them know that Jesus loves them and desires a relationship with them.
Recently I was visiting some long-time friends out-of-state and one of them asked me a question during a lively dinner discussion … If a company develops medicine/technology that allows people to live 30 more years, would I do it? I pondered this for a moment and asked the Holy Spirit to guide my answer. My reply was that I’d have to pray about it, research the Church’s position on it, and my number one priority is to be with God in Eternity someday, so delaying that by 30 years doesn’t seem like something I’d like to do!
This led to a deep conversation about God, faith, family, humanity and the current cultural challenges we face in all seasons of our lives. I wasn’t sure if what I said had an impact on my friend at first, but at one point he admitted that he didn’t know his Catholic faith and said he would like to learn more. I asked him his preferred method of learning and he said podcasts and videos (not books), so I immediately forwarded him some links to leading Catholic voices that I feel are very accessible (and at times lighthearted) no matter where we are on our faith journey, such as Father Mike Schmitz, Bishop Robert Barron and Father Josh Johnson. He was open and grateful.
Our friendship, laughter, mutual respect, and common interests (such as family and baseball) fostered this powerful conversation. I will try to keep it going with lighthearted encouragement and sharing of resources as I feel prompted. We never know how God will work in someone’s heart, but we do know He can use any means to reach someone — even our small, feeble attempts to share our faith can bear fruit, thank you Holy Spirit!
So let us be ready and willing to enter into these conversations about faith with boldness and joy under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
From 1 Peter:15-16 “… Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence …” Praise be Jesus Christ, now and forever, Amen!