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Question: I just wanted to let you know that I’ve been writing to my parents about Jesus for about 3-4 months now. I feel as though there is no change in them at all. I really miss talking to them and I love them. I just want them to be saved! Any suggestions? Thank you so much!
— Unlocking the Bible Radio Listener
Answer: This is Kevin from Unlocking the Bible. Thanks for writing sharing your story, we will be keeping you and your parents in prayer! Let me commend you for sharing Christ with your parents. It is an act of love and obedience and is something that honors Christ!
Here are a few things to keep in mind in evangelizing to lost loved ones:
1. God can use what you have said to plant seeds in your parents’ hearts.
Even if it seems like your parents are unresponsive, God can use your words days, months, or years down the line to help them come to Christ. You may not see growth now, but God can use your steps of faith in the future. We will pray that God grows the seeds you have planted into saving faith in Jesus Christ!
2. Don’t forget to show genuine love no matter what.
I do not know what your relationship with your parents looks like, but I encourage you to seek to love them as a daughter whether or not they respond to the gospel as you would like. God can use your life and testimony to open their eyes to His Truth. This honors your Heavenly Father who commanded you to honor your earthly father and mother (Exodus 20:12).
3. Be patient and remember that God is the one who saves people.
At times I have relied on my own efforts to reach people. This led not only to frustration, but also strained relationships. God has since taught me to remember that saving people is His job (Jonah 2:9) and my job is to rely on Him, being obedient with the opportunities that He gives me. A lot of times that means not rushing to talk about Jesus as quickly as possible, shoving the gospel down people’s throats, but rather loving people in a conversation and following the Spirit’s leading for an opportunity to share the gospel. Remembering that God is the one who saves takes a lot of pressure off of us! Success in sharing Jesus is measured by being faithful, not by winning converts–that’s God’s job!
4. Remember that following Jesus will cause division.
Jesus says in Matthew 10:35-36 that he would turn “a man against his father, a daughter against her mother.” Jesus is not necessarily desiring to separate people, He rather is explaining the reality that following Him has a cost and would inevitably divide families. This can be a tough pill to swallow. But the good news is that through faith in Jesus, we are welcomed into the family of God, which is incomparably greater!
5. Pray!
You seem to be already are doing this–keep it up! This is the most important thing you can do. Seek to be like the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-8 and continually approach your loving Heavenly Father on behalf of your parents. I have heard countless stories of God saving people after one of their loved ones prayed for them for years. Remember that in heaven, you will never wish you prayed for your unsaved family members less.
I thank God for your love for your parents and desire to see them saved. I hope some of those tips were helpful in putting your situation in perspective. I don’t know if your parents will be saved, but I do know that God is faithful and you can give Him all of your trust.
In Him,
Kevin Halloran
Kevin Halloran
Product Manager, Open the Bible for Leaders
Kevin serves as Product Manager for Open the Bible for Leaders. Kevin loves spending time with his wife, Jazlynn, and young daughters. In his free time, you can find him reading, writing (in English and Spanish), and serving at his church. Kevin is the author of When Prayer is a Struggle: A Practical Guide for Overcoming Obstacles in Prayer (P&R) and the free companion course Pray the Bible. Follow Kevin on Facebook and Twitter.
