Three Ways to Share Your Story
By Zack DeBerry
As we continue to talk through what it means to be Storytellers in our world, I am reminded of our theme verse for this series. 1 Peter 3:15 says, “Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.” (NLT) I think this is a great verse to rest in for two reasons. First, it reveals that our life begins and ends in the worship and service of Jesus Christ. Secondly, it challenges us to be prepared to explain why a life that is rooted in Jesus Christ gives us an overwhelming sense of hope in this life. As followers of Christ it is not only important to live a life that is rooted in Christ, but it is our call in this world to share the reason for our hope with those who need to experience it in their lives. Here are three simple ways that we can share the hope that we have in Jesus Christ with others.
1. Live it before you speak it.
It can be said that people watch what you do before they ever listen to what you say. As someone who proclaims a faith and a hope in Jesus Christ it is important to realize that people will watch how I treat my family, friends, and the world long before they give any thought to what I might have to say about Jesus Christ. One of the easiest ways to share your story is to live a life that would make them wonder how you have the hope and joy that you do in this life.
2. Start with those close to you.
We call this our “Top 5” at Journey. What we mean is that if we are to really have the opportunities to share our story in this life, it will most likely be with someone that you are already close to. Whether it’s family, neighbor, co-worker, gym member, or whoever it is, there is a greater chance they will listen to your story because you are already personally invested in their life. I am convinced that the closer we are to folks, the greater the impact our story can have on their life for the Kingdom of God.
3. Keep it real.
When it comes to sharing your story you have to be careful not to over spiritualize things. There is great value in just being yourself and allowing people to see the fact that you may not have it all together, that the hope you have is not in yourself, but in Jesus Christ. People are given “Real-Life” everywhere now from social media to reality tv. So it is only natural for them to see real people living a life of faith. It is our responsibility to be honest and real, even if it means they see some our faults and imperfections. When people see the real you it allows them to share their struggles too.
It isn’t easy to share your story, but that is our call as followers of Jesus Christ. If we can become people that live a life worth sharing, continually invest in the lives of those close to us, and dare to be real with people, it will give us opportunities to share the hope that we have in Jesus Christ.