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Written by Laurie Moyer

You are a needed evangelist in the Lord’s church. The Gospel will not be spread without beautiful feet to take the message (Romans 10:14, 15). Some of those feet should have painted toe nails. I’m not advocating a women’s appointment to pulpit work or trying to guilt you into a missionary journey to a foreign country. There is plenty of work to do right here at home, and plenty of ways you, as a woman, can do it. 1 Timothy 2:12 clearly tells women not to teach or usurp authority over men, but there are many kinder, gentler, and less aggressive ways to be part of spreading the message of Christ.

 You need to let your light shine. You know the difference between right and wrong and by making the choices in your life that show you intend to live by God’s standards and not those of the world you are a testament to the truth. When you do good your light shines—not because you think you are good, but because God has given you the standards and ability to make the proper choices and you want to glorify Him with your life (1 Corinthians 6:20). When you are in circumstances where many would become impatient or discouraged, but you do not, others will wonder why. That will create an opportunity to explain why you have a joy and calm that will diffuse many frustrations and the tendency some display to lash out. If you tire of doing right and start to live for yourself the world will also see that, so be careful what you preach with your actions and choose wisely.

Being what you know you should be will mean continuing to learn God’s will. As you grow as a Christian that will add depth of motivation to your interaction with others. You will try harder the more you experience your own gratitude toward God. The information you learn will fill you up to the point that it is bound to spill out in your casual conversations with people of the world. The verses you read will come back to your mind as specific applications of the wisdom of God and you can enthusiastically share that knowledge with others. As Scripture gives us the ability to behave wisely others will notice. Be sure to give God the credit for the compliments others pay you. It may feel awkward the first time or two you phrase it that way, but if you know the reason you are able to accomplish things is that God has helped you be a better person with higher standards it should be Him who gets credit for it, not you.

The ultimate step in this process of learning will be that you can be a guide to others in what you are learning. Use caution here. I say these are things you are learning because there is really no such thing as having learned all there is to any Bible subject. No matter how long you study there are layers of meaning that show themselves in connection to other topics and application in your life. Only God knows it all. We dare not act like a “know it all.” That does not mean you know nothing. Every time we study a subject we should get closer to grasping the full meaning God placed there for us. Hold on to what you know with confidence, because that is the foundation of our faith. Just because more will occur to you later does not invalidate the truth you see now. Never stop looking for the rest of the story.

You will not stand in front of a mixed congregation of men and women and preach the Gospel (not if you live by the standards of 1 Cor 14). Notice how very effective and influential the Samaritan woman was, though. She did not fill a pulpit. She spoke one-on-one to those who knew her, and her enthusiasm is evident. She was not a perfect person, but when those who knew her saw the changes she had made and the clear message she spoke they couldn’t help but be persuaded to come and hear for themselves the preaching of the Gospel. May God bless your efforts with the same results.

Your loving friend,

Laurie Moyer

“So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, ‘Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?’ They went out of the town and were coming to him” (John 4:28-30).

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