“Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.” (Francis of Assisi)
An often cited quote (you may have even heard it a time or two) is one attributed to Francis of Assisi and goes something like this, "Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary."
Dwight is doubly correct in that this is false!
1. Francis never said this – https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/factchecker-misquoting-francis-of-assisi/
2. The gospel is not preached without words.
Our challenge of being always ready is found in 1 Peter 3:15, so let's look at it briefly:
"but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,"
This verse (and it's context at large) is not asserting that others see our lives and instinctively hear the gospel through our smiling faces as we let them cut in the 50-person-deep line at Walmart because they only have 2 items (it's very kind of you, just not to the 49 people behind you). The same Holy Spirit that inspired Peter's epistle also inspired Paul’s magnum opus to the Romans where he wrote, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” (Romans 10:14)
While Francis did not say the words often attributed to him, he did say that those who preach should “preach by their deeds”. This is thoroughly biblical and is also what Peter says in chapter 3:8-14. Being ready requires us to always be regarding Jesus as holy in our hearts; or as Paul practically states, “let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ”. (Philippians 1:27) This is part of our readiness and it’s what prompts them to ask, “Why are you the way you are?” And when they do…. It’s all over but the shoutin’ (as they say).
We should live poised for that “race shot” since the first, “Hi, my name is…”. The minute that question is fired, we grab their hand and sprint to Jesus - with gentleness and respect of course. How do you sprint with someone without dragging them along? That’s a topic for a other day; but there’s always a place to start and for us, that starting line is to be
“Always Ready”.
(Link to the Rover Oaks Community Church sermon that spurred this brief thought and the source of the clip above: https://www.youtube.com/live/kr5ZBjw7m30?si=CMdVDJ_xjDhqemqI )
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