Pray for Boldness...

"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13

One thing I'm painfully aware that I should have been painfully aware of the past few weeks in my growing decrease of talking with people about Jesus Christ has been my lack of being with Jesus Christ, asking for what I need most.

You see, it's tough to talk boldly about Someone you're not seeking boldly.

Moreover, it's tough to have the kind of burden that embraces people when you're lacking time in prayer asking God for it.

Yesterday I was in Subway eating a $2.50 turkey sandwich a few feet from a white collar guy with his tie tucked in his shirt. He was a furious eater, but didn't seem like he was too much in a hurry. We're just digging in. Seemed like a ripe opportunity to say...I don't know...something...anything to talk about Jesus.

Here's where I started...

[....................]

And the more I thought about it, I considered saying...

[.....................]

Then on second thought, I wondered about this approach...

[....................]

So, after a while of nothing, I left Subway. That's right. Back to my cozy chair in my sheltered office consoling myself the way you do when you missed an opportunity, "oh...well...better effort next time."

Today I'm aware that what was missing was not a card, a booklet, a catch-phrase, a penetrating question, a mysterious Christian t-shirt, the offer of a minty Testimint, a U2 cross-over, or something ultra-relate-able that would be a Golden Gate Bridge to gospel conversation.

I was missing a boldness that only comes from being with Jesus.

Nothing more. Nothing less.

Gloriously and painfully simple.