Every time I stand in front of a group of people to speak about Christ, I get stirred in my heart. What a privilege to share the gospel with men and women! There is no joy quite like it.
Usually I find myself in conversation with people who want to know more, or have questions they are yearning to ask. But sometimes the reaction of the hearers is far from warm.
For instance, there have been occasions when I have been 'frozen' by the audience to whom I am speaking. In some school assemblies, or university refectories, or even more traditional settings, there is an 'atmosphere' you can feel (though no one has said anything), that conveys the notion: 'We don't want to hear what you are saying'. Little or nothing is said afterwards, but you know that the gospel message has not gone down well. That inevitably creates an ache in the heart. Who doesn't want affirmation? A friend once said to me: 'Happiness is not in your job description!' And yet everyone who is involved in proclaiming Christ one-to-one or one-to-a-crowd, wants to believe that what has been said has been appreciated.
