Evangelism for the Glory of Self?

"We don’t work to persuade people that the gospel will meet all their felt needs, rather that they were made for the soul-satisfying glory of God in the gospel." — John Piper, God’s Passion for His Glory

In the office where I work, we’ve got a security guard station just before you reach the elevators. I usually say "hello" to the guard on duty while I pass, but rarely more than that. (See, I’m usually late, or almost late, and every moment counts!)

Anyway, yesterday I was returning from lunch with a couple of quasi-co-workers (Tom J. and Steve W. work for sister companies in the same office building and we were D&D gaming buddies for a while), and as we passed by, the guard on duty casually asked how we were doing. Without really thinking about it, I looked her in the eye and said, "wonderfully. Life is wonderful!" She got this big grin on her face and said, "you’re always ‘doing great’. You’re the only one around here who’s always ‘doing great’."

Whoa. Can we say, "opportunity"? What do I do? What do I do???

I should have told her all about how the loving Creator-King not only sacrificed his Son to forgive me, a pathetic usurper, of high treason; but how he has also adopted me and granted me full rights and privileges to be his son. I should have told her about how I’m now coming to see just how beautiful this Creator-Father-King and His Kingdom really are, and how any ‘revolution’ against them only seem to leave us with something ugly and weak. I should have told her how my Father has commissioned me to extend the same offer of forgiveness and adoption to her as well.

But by that point, I was entering the elevator and it was too late to explain why life is wonderful. I just chuckled — I guess about how depressed the world is? — and went back to my desk.

I feel like a heel. But why? Is it really because I passed on an opportunity to show forth the beauty and glory of God? Or is it because I feel humbled by my own laziness and embarrassment?

My felt need is to have an easier time sharing my faith, so I won’t feel guilt. But perhaps my true need is to be so wrapped up and lost in the majestic splendor of God that such evangelism just spills over with no conscious contriving on my part.

Father, baptize me the way cucumbers are baptized into picklehood. Seep into every part of me, and transform me. Make me like you!

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