This previous Sunday while buying chicken from my usual seller I commented on the fact that the seller next to her was new. This is not an uncommon occurrence in Thailand as many Thai’s start-up a market stall, sell for a couple of weeks and then move on, but the previous market seller had been there for a number of years.

I was shocked to hear that the previous market seller had died while I had been away on my many trips to Bangkok. She was always friendly and chatted with us, even though we seldom bought anything that she was selling. I knew that she was a single mum with two grown-up children who were doing tertiary studies. She worked really hard growing vegetables to sell, looking after her rubber tree plantation and selling at the market to support her children while they studied.

What hit me the hardest about her death was that I had failed her! I had failed to share the gospel story with her in a clear and concise way, although I had shared snippets of my faith with her I had not explained the message in salvation in its entirety and how she could become a child of God. I always felt that the time wasn’t right, we needed a better relationship, etc. I felt that there was still time.

What a wake-up call for me! Over the past few months God has been challenging me on being more bold in the sharing of my faith and to share the message of his salvation in its entirety and then being open to following up with those interested. He has been graciously providing the training and skills to do this more effectively. It is the Lord who changes hearts, it is the Lord who draws people to Him but he has called you and me to share His love with those who do not know Him.

The verse that comes to mind is:  “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Romans 10:14-15 NIV

May we all strive to be these beautiful feet for Jesus bringing His love and grace to those who don’t know him.