Focus on What God Thinks of People, Not What People Think of You

Fear in evangelism often results in being too self-focused. Notice that I used the word self-focused, not selfish. Most people I’ve observed who want to talk to acquaintances about Christ are not selfish people. The very fact that they are concerned about somebody else’s eternal welfare and not just their own says so. Selfish people are content to go to heaven alone. Selfless people are not.

Self-focus is different. It results from worrying too much about what others might think of you if you share the Gospel with them. Questions such as, “Will they still be my friend?” “Will they think less of me?” “Will I lose respect?” hinder evangelism. Nobody in their right mind would enjoy any of these negative responses. Who wants to lose a friend, be thought less of, or lose respect? At the same time, “I” is at the center of all of these worries. Focusing on yourself becomes distracting at its least, defeating at its worst.

There are two words consistently used in Scripture that help refocus our attention. The first word is love. Biblically defined, it means to put the other person first, even if it means the sacrifice of ourselves. John 3:16 explains, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” The proof of God’s love is that He put us first even though it meant the sacrifice of His own Son. The second is the word compassion. It means to be filled with pity. Matthew 9:36 tells us, “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.” Jesus Christ pitied non-Christians.

Both of these words switch the focus to how Christ feels about the lost, not how they feel about us. Furthermore, if Jesus Christ was willing to sacrifice His life for us, we ought to be willing to sacrifice friendship, pride, or respect. In fact, it is only a matter of time before Chirstlike love and compassion overcome fear. Possible rejection takes a back seat to the real issue of salvation. Knowing that we have a message that will save them from eternal separation from God and give them life that has meaning, purpose, and fulfillment becomes the focus.

To be consistently bold in evangelism, we must focus on what God thinks of them, not what they think of us.