Witness to Someone Each Day
1 Jesus did it. The apostles did it. And we can do it today. Do what? Take advantage of all opportunities to share the truth with others through informal witnessing.
2 We should be ready at all times to give a witness to all those we contact as we carry on the everyday affairs of living, just as Jesus witnessed to those he happened to meet, such as the Samaritan woman at the well. Paul witnessed to people with whom he came in contact while imprisoned in Rome.—John 4:6-15; Acts 28:16, 30, 31.
3 Just think of the grand additional witness that would result if each one of us would informally discuss Bible truth each day with even one person. Here in the United States our ratio is one publisher to every 391 persons. Thus, if each one of us witnessed informally to a different person each day, it would mean—in a year’s time—speaking to about as many people as there are in the United States!
WHEN AND WHERE
4 Often those to whom we informally witness are not otherwise contacted in our visiting the public in their homes. For example, one brother recently traveling by airplane took advantage of the opportunity to talk with the passenger alongside him. He was a businessman who had heard of Jehovah’s Witnesses through the news media, but never personally had talked with one of us. Following a fine two-hour discussion with this man, he gave our brother his home address and private phone number, stating he would like one of Jehovah’s Witnesses to call on him at home.
5 All of us can take advantage of opportunities for informal witnessing, for each day we come in contact with people not in the truth. When traveling by public transportation, at work or school, speaking with neighbors or salesmen, waiting in lines or at a doctor’s office, and so forth—all such occasions afford us the opportunity to talk with people daily. Some brothers have found it helpful to have with them a piece of literature that they could give to one to whom they informally witness on such occasions.
REPORT THE TIME
6 Yes, time spent doing informal witnessing is to be reported. Some publishers write their witnessing time, informal and regular, on a calendar—be it five minutes a day or an hour or more. If we spend even five minutes each day informally witnessing, it would mean two and a half hours a month. That amount of time multiplied by the over 500,000 witnesses in the United States would amount to well over one million additional hours each month of sharing the truth with others. It would be appreciated if all would note their informal witnessing time and be sure to report it.
7 “As you go, preach,” said Jesus at Matthew 10:7. In accord with his direction to us, let all of us daily seek to witness as we go about our activities, appreciating that this has been the means for tens of thousands to hear and eventually respond to the good news of the Kingdom.