Share Your Faith Like Jesus Did

Cultivate the Lord’s peace in your heart and let that peace be your first witness. 

We want others to listen to what we have to say about Jesus and his Church, and it is perfectly fair for us to want that. But how can we ask people to listen to us if we have not first listened to them? As Jesus himself said, “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31).

For this reason, listening isn’t a mere gimmick or trick. It isn’t the thing we get out of the way so we can move on to what we really want to do. When we listen attentively, we are following the direct command of Christ. And, beyond just following a command, we are imitating him.

Jesus, who engaged in countless varied conversations with others even though he was their Creator. He did not simply pronounce to them in a monologue, even though it was his right; he didn’t think it a waste of his time to listen to what lowly mortals had to say. 

Even in time-constrained situations where it is clear you are not about to become best friends, you can be friendly; you can move the relationship onto friendly terms. If you let others know you have heard them and you can relate to them, agreeing with them wherever you can, this creates a bond.

You can also show compassion toward them about any difficult situations they’re going through; you can be joyful about the good things; and you can, when appropriate, present moral or religious challenges where they are needed.

All of this is an imitation of what Jesus did.