Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
- Acts 8:30-31

Philip saw the opportunity and (literally) jumped on it. Here was a man thinking about spiritual things. Here was an opportunity to talk about Jesus.

What do we do when opportunities like this come our way?

For some of us, we kick ourselves and wish we were better prepared. We think about some book on our bookshelf that we’ve been meaning to read. We search our minds for answers to the question-opportunities that come our way. We may even resolve to be more prepared next time. But the opportunity in the moment passes us by.

Others of us feel pangs of fear. “What if I mess up?” or “What if my answers cause them to make fun of me?” we ask ourselves. We shy away from opportunities like these, or, worse yet, bluster our way through them.

A few of us are prepared for opportunities like these. Our minds are prepared to give answers and our hearts are prepared to show courage and integrity. When God points to the chariot, we leap.

How do we go from being unprepared to being prepared? That starts with our heart. We need to be so caught up with Jesus that we’ll take risks to introduce others to him. We need to be so interested in Jesus that we’ll think and read and learn about him. We need to be so in touch with Jesus that we’ll receive the right in-the-moment words from him in those conversations.

How do we get prepared to be Jesus’ witnesses? It all starts with prayer. Would you take time today to pray a prayer like this:

Lord Jesus,

You are amazing. I’m so grateful that I get to know you and connect with you. Thank you for all you’ve given me: your love, new life, all the blessings I enjoy.

Would you increase my love for you?
Would you nourish my interest in you?
Would you deepen my connection to you?
Would you include me in someone’s spiritual journey to you?”

Amen.