A Risky Detour冒险绕道

[Dexu Xia]

A Risky Detour

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season. 2 Timothy 4:2

What a waste of time, thought Harley. Her insurance agent was insisting they meet again. Harley knew it would be yet another boring sales pitch, but she decided to make the most of it by looking for an opportunity to talk about her faith.

Noticing that the agent’s eyebrows were tattooed, she hesitantly asked why and discovered that the woman did it because she felt it would bring her luck. Harley’s question was a risky detour from a routine chat about finances, but it opened the door to a conversation about luck and faith, which gave her an opportunity to talk about why she relied on Jesus. That “wasted” hour turned out to be a divine appointment.

Jesus also took a risky detour. While traveling from Judea to Galilee, He went out of His way to speak to a Samaritan, something unthinkable for a Jew. Worse, she was an adulterous woman avoided even by other Samaritans. Yet He ended up having a conversation that led to the salvation of many (John 4:1–26, 39–42).

Are you meeting someone you don’t really want to see? Do you keep bumping into a neighbor you normally avoid? The Bible reminds us to be always ready—“in season and out of season”—to share the good news (2 Timothy 4:2). Consider taking a “risky detour.” Who knows, God may be giving you a divine opportunity to talk to someone about Him today!

Whom might you meet today? How might there be an opportunity to talk about Jesus? How can you go out of your way to share the good news in a bold but loving, sensitive way?

Jesus, teach me to see the doors You’ve opened for me to share Your love, and give me the courage to tell others about You.

冒险绕道

务要传道！无论得时不得时。—提摩太后书4章2节

当保险代理人坚持要求再次见面时，海玲不禁心想：真是浪费时间！她知道这次见面将又是个无聊的产品推销，于是她决定寻找机会与对方分享自己的信仰。

海玲注意到保险代理人曾做过纹眉，便婉转地询问原因，原来代理人觉得这会带来好运。海玲的提问其实是“冒险绕道”，在讨论财务话题时来了个大转弯，但却为讨论运气和信仰打开了大门，使她有机会谈论自己为何要信靠耶稣。那个原本“浪费时间”的见面，最后却变成上帝预备的美好时光。

耶稣也曾冒险绕道。当祂从犹太前往加利利的途中，特别绕道去与一个撒马利亚妇人谈话，这对犹太人来说简直不可思议。更糟糕的是，这是个不守妇道的女人，就连其他撒马利亚人也不屑理睬她。但耶稣与她的这场对谈，最终却使许多人得救（约翰福音4章1-26、39-42节）。

你是否也正要与一个不想见的人碰面？你是否一直碰到刻意回避的邻居？圣经提醒我们，“无论得时不得时”都要准备好与人分享福音（提摩太后书4章2节）。把握时机进行“冒险绕道”吧！或许，今天上帝就会给你一个宝贵的机会，让你能与某人谈论上帝。

今天你会与谁碰面？有机会与对方谈论耶稣吗？
你如何勇敢而敏锐地凭爱心与人分享福音？

耶稣，求祢让我看见祢已为我打开的机会之门，
帮助我能与人分享祢的爱。
求祢赐我勇气，能传扬与祢有关的事。