Scatter Seeds of Truth
1 Jesus was seated by a well in Samaria waiting for his disciples to return with the food they had gone to buy. He was tired and thirsty but was still ready to give a timely witness that fitted the circumstances. Read for yourself how the conversation went as recorded at John 4:7-15.
2 Do you also take favorable opportunities to give a witness, relating the conversation to things at hand in just such a natural but interesting way? You will find many occasions to do so each day if you are alert to them.
3 What are some situations that Jesus and his disciples used to give a witness, not just when going to the homes of the people, but wherever they found the opportunity? One time “while passing along” Jesus spoke to Matthew who was “seated at the tax office.” Another time he had been walking through some grainfields when he took the opportunity to speak to the Pharisees. Later he spoke to a crowd who gathered at the sea. On many occasions and in various locations Jesus gave an impromptu witness. He spoke both to strangers and to persons he knew.—Matt. 9:9; 12:1-4; 13:1-4.
4 Paul made it a part of his service to talk to those “who happened to be on hand” in the marketplace in Athens. (Acts 17:17) He took advantage of every situation to speak about Jehovah, even late at night after being released from prison, as well as later to all who visited him when under house arrest.—Acts 16:25-34; 28:30, 31.
5 Do we also take advantage of opportunities to give a witness or do we wait until we are “out in service” or only talk about the truth when we are calling from house to house “in our territory”? How rewarding also to look for openings to give a witness knowing that the field is the world and that we may never have a better opportunity to talk to certain ones! Certainly we have Bible precedent for such informal witnessing.
6 While such service may not be “formal witnessing” in that we have not made specific plans to talk to certain persons, yet it may well be witnessing for which we have prepared to some extent by thinking of possible appropriate topics for conversation to use, or by taking literature along in the hope of finding someone who might appreciate it. If you have ever been without some literature in your car or on your person when you met someone showing interest, you can appreciate the wisdom of planning for such possibilities as you go about your daily activities or on trips.
7 It is not necessary to try to have a lengthy discussion with each person. You may wish to be brief, just a sentence at a time to see how the person replies or if interest is shown. That is what Jesus did. (John 4:7-26) If no interest is shown, you may prefer not to continue the conversation. Whether you are at school or at work, at home or shopping, with friends or family or with strangers, you will find many possibilities of talking in an interesting way about what you have learned. Do not overlook including time spent in this way when you turn in your field report.
8 Our giving an informal witness greatly enlarges the number of persons we are privileged to witness to and may mean we can speak to many who are not regularly reached with the Kingdom message. Just as a farmer scatters his seed on the soil, so we desire to spread seeds of truth.—Eccl. 11:6.