Be prepared!

“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction.” 2 Timothy 4:2
Paul’s advice for us today is to be prepared at all times. While there are times when we can prepare for something in advance – for instance, leading a home Bible study, much of our ministering to other people on a daily basis comes with little warning. It might be a conversation over the lunch-table at your workplace, or an issue that arises in the family. These are the ‘out of season’ times when knowing the Scriptures and having them hidden in your heart is essential, so that the Holy Spirit can remind you of it, and bring it forth in that situation.
Another aspect about being prepared is to think about your testimony, so that you may “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Pet. 3:15). Questions like, ‘So what do you mean, you’re a Christian?’ or ‘How come you’re always so upbeat?’ – we should be able to answer these instantly, pointing people to Jesus Christ as the Lord of our lives.
Many Christians haven’t ever really thought much about preparing their testimony, even mentally. Here’s a simple outline that you can use to guide you: (1) What was your life like before you became a Christian? Don’t go into gory detail – it’s important not to glamourise the sin you were in. (2) What led to you giving your life to Christ? Maybe it was something someone said, or something you read. It may have been a singular event, or a process of realisation over time. (3) How has your life changed since you became a Christian? Think about the joy, peace, hope, and purpose that you now have in Christ. Everyone can do this – you don’t have to have a gift of evangelism. Only some are called by the Holy Spirit to be evangelists – but we are all called to be witnesses: to tell our salvation story when we are asked.