July 7

What We can do for Others

And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. — Luke 9:2 BSB

Apostles aren’t the only ones Christ gives the commission to share the gospel. He wants everyone He saves to go out and spread the good news to others. Christian boys and girls can preach by living a sweet, beautiful life at home, at school, and among their friends. A life lived well is the most powerful kind of preaching. There’s a story about someone who became a Christian, and when asked under whose preaching they were converted, they answered, "Nobody’s preaching, but Aunt Mary’s living." Everyone should preach by living faithfully.

But there are other ways to spread the message too. The Bible tells the story of a little captive girl, far from home, who spoke about what the God of her people could do, and her words led to the healing of a leper. We can tell others what Christ has done for us and what He can do for them, and our words may reach someone who needs to hear them and will turn to Him in faith and prayer.

This is a missionary text, and there are countless ways we can help spread the gospel. It’s a tragedy to keep something so precious, something that can bless the world, to ourselves. Men, women, and children everywhere need the gospel of Jesus Christ. Imagine a wealthy person during a famine, while their neighbors are starving, keeping their full barns locked up and not sharing food with the hungry. We who have found Christ have the bread of life for human souls, more than enough for ourselves and for everyone around us. Sharing this bread of life doesn’t deplete it. All around us are people perishing, and we may be the ones to save them. Will we keep to ourselves the bread that souls are dying without?