When my father died, several called the house and remained silent, trying to bully my mother into selling it, and some threatened her. She was upset until she prayed about it. Then she began to witness for Jesus Christ when telephone calls came. Once she sang an old hymn, "Though the vilest sinner you may be, blessed Jesus loves you too." One bully was so shocked that he answered, "What did you say, Mam?" No one was converted but she planted seeds of the gospel, and the threatening calls stopped.
So be ready to give a reason for the hope that is within you, the Bible says, once we have hope and peace from God. God may bring an unorthodox way to represent him today. Her brother Ellis went to work one day, and as a polite southerner he said, "Good morning, " as he was accustomed to do. "What is good about it," was the surly reply he received. "It is good God let you live another day to stay out of hell, that's what good about it," my uncle answered. A few weeks later the guy came up to my uncle and said he had thought much about what he said and had given his life to Jesus Christ as a result. My uncle was prayed up most of the time, so even when he was facing a bully he gave a reply that was Godly! Can we say the same? That was a unique situation that may never be repeated, but are we open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and brave enough to act on that guidance? Once we are Christian God dwells with us alongside our human nature. I have seen more people quench the Holy Spirit through cowardice more than by being brash.
Since in our society divorces among Christians are about the same as among those who are not Christian, it seems the most unusual way to express Christianity is to be good to a spouse, with faithfulness and love and respect. Dr. Stephen Olford preached in the power of the Holy Spirit so much that when I heard him on the radio I always quit surfing and listened. When he died I read that his wife said that he was the most holy person she had ever known. Can our spouse say that about us?
Instead of waiting for someone to bully us before we witness for Jesus Christ, I hope we practice hospitality and kindness and patience among our family first of all. Add some backbone once in awhile to oppose rude and selfish behavior, and sooner or later the rest of the family will appreciate it.
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