5 Day Devotional
Day 1: Boxing Gloves or Work Gloves?
Devotional
Picture yourself getting ready to share your faith. What do you reach for first - boxing gloves or work gloves? In our polarized world, many of us have unconsciously chosen the boxing gloves, turning conversations about Jesus into debates we must win. But here's the beautiful truth: people aren't looking for us to defeat them in arguments. They're looking for something real, something that makes a difference in how we live.
The statistics reveal a stunning reality - 51% of Americans are genuinely curious about why people are devoted to their faith. Among younger adults, that number jumps to 61%. People are waiting, watching, and wondering. Yet 60% of Christians rarely or never share their faith at all. The disconnect isn't their closed hearts; it's often our closed approach.
When we put down the boxing gloves and pick up work gloves instead, everything changes. Work gloves are for building, serving, and getting our hands dirty in the messiness of real life. They're for showing up when someone needs help, for listening when someone needs to be heard, for demonstrating the love of Jesus through our actions before we ever speak a word.
Today, consider what kind of gloves you've been wearing. The gospel doesn't need you to win fights - it needs you to win hearts through genuine love and service.
Bible Verse
'But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.' - Acts 1:8
Reflection Question
When you think about sharing your faith, do you feel more equipped to argue or to serve, and what might that reveal about your approach to evangelism?
Quote
What kind of gloves do you bring with you to go share the gospel? Are you bringing boxing gloves or are you bringing work gloves?
Prayer
Lord, help me put down the boxing gloves and pick up work gloves. Give me eyes to see needs around me and a heart that serves rather than argues. Let my life be a witness to Your love before my words ever need to be. Amen.
Day 2: Eyes Up, Hearts Open
Devotional
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to walk through life with our eyes down, avoiding the needs around us? We pass by the struggling single mom, the lonely neighbor, the overwhelmed coworker, all while keeping our gaze fixed on our phones or our own problems. But what if the key to sharing our faith isn't found in having all the right answers, but in simply keeping our eyes up?
Peter and John were heading to the temple when they encountered a man who had been lame from birth. They could have easily walked past him like everyone else did. Instead, they stopped, made eye contact, and truly saw him. This simple act of recognition became the foundation for a miracle that would impact an entire community.
Seeing needs and serving people often comes before sharing our faith. When we keep our eyes up and our hearts open, we begin to notice the hurting world around us. We see the person behind the checkout counter who looks exhausted, the elderly neighbor who never has visitors, the friend who's been struggling with anxiety. These aren't interruptions to our day - they're divine appointments waiting to happen.
The beautiful truth is that people aren't looking for you to give them answers right away. They want to be heard, to be seen, to know that someone cares. When we approach others with genuine concern for their wellbeing, we create space for authentic relationships where the gospel can naturally flow.
Bible Verse
'How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?' - Romans 10:14
Reflection Question
What needs in your immediate circle - family, work, neighborhood - have you been walking past with your eyes down, and how might God be calling you to stop and truly see someone today?
Quote
People aren't looking for you to give them answers. They want to be heard.
Prayer
Father, open my eyes to see the needs around me. Help me to stop rushing past people and instead notice when someone needs encouragement, help, or simply to be heard. Give me courage to make eye contact and show genuine care. Amen.
Day 3: Give What You Have
Devotional
"Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth." These words from Peter reveal a profound truth about sharing our faith: we don't need to have everything to offer something meaningful. Too often, we disqualify ourselves from serving others because we focus on what we lack rather than what we possess.
Maybe you think you need more Bible knowledge, more life experience, or more resources before you can make a difference. But Peter didn't heal the lame man with silver or gold - he offered what he had: faith in Jesus' name. Your "what I have" might be a listening ear, a warm meal, help with yard work, or simply showing up when someone is going through a difficult time.
The key is serving in Jesus' name, not our own. When we offer our gifts, talents, and resources as expressions of Christ's love, even the smallest acts become powerful testimonies. A cup of coffee shared with a struggling friend, a ride to the doctor for an elderly neighbor, or watching someone's kids during a crisis - these simple acts ring the bell of the gospel when done in Jesus' name.
Don't promise what you cannot deliver, but don't withhold what you can. Your calling and gifting might be different from others, but they're exactly what God wants to use. The question isn't whether you have enough - it's whether you're willing to give what you have.
Bible Verse
'Each of you should use whatever gift you have to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.' - 1 Peter 4:10-11
Reflection Question
What specific gifts, resources, or abilities do you have that you've been hesitant to offer others, and how might God want to use these for His kingdom?
Quote
Silver or gold, I do not have. But what I do have, I give to you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
Prayer
Lord, help me stop focusing on what I don't have and start offering what I do have. Show me how to use my gifts, time, and resources to serve others in Your name. Let my service be a reflection of Your love. Amen.
Day 4: Service Opens Doors
Devotional
When Peter healed the lame man, something remarkable happened. A crowd gathered, not because of a sermon or a debate, but because of an act of humble service. The healing created a natural opportunity for Peter to share the gospel. This reveals a powerful principle: humble service often opens doors that arguments never could.
When your life clearly echoes Jesus through acts of love and service, you create curiosity in others. They begin to wonder what motivates you, what gives you hope, why you care so much. These questions become natural bridges for sharing your faith. The gospel rings loudest when humble service leads the way.
Think about the people in your life who have influenced you most. Chances are, they didn't win you over through arguments but through consistent acts of love and service. They showed you Jesus before they told you about Jesus. Their lives created questions that their words could then answer.
This doesn't mean we avoid sharing the truth of the gospel - quite the opposite. Good deeds without the truth of the gospel only make us philanthropists. But when our service flows from our relationship with Jesus and points others to Him, it becomes a powerful testimony that prepares hearts to receive the good news.
Humble service rings the bell of the gospel for all to hear. It creates authentic opportunities to explain the hope within us and points people to the One who can meet their deepest needs.
Bible Verse
'But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.' - 1 Peter 3:15
Reflection Question
How has someone's service to you opened your heart to hear what they had to say, and how might your service to others create similar opportunities for gospel conversations?
Quote
The gospel rings loudest when humble service leads the way.
Prayer
Jesus, let my service to others flow from my love for You. Help me serve with such genuine care that people become curious about the hope within me. Give me wisdom to know when and how to share the reason for my hope. Amen.
Day 5: Authentic Faith, Lasting Impact
Devotional
Here's a sobering truth: if Jesus is not real and active in your life, if He's just fakery, then you need to stop and examine your heart. You cannot have a plastic Jesus in your life and expect to impact others authentically. People are looking for something real, and they can sense when our faith is genuine versus when it's just a performance.
The gospel rings loudest when it costs something. When your faith is real, it shows up in how you treat difficult people, how you respond to setbacks, how you prioritize your time and resources. It's not about being perfect - it's about being authentic in your relationship with Jesus and allowing that relationship to transform how you live.
We are all called to share our faith, and thankfully, this can and will look different for all of us. Some will share through teaching, others through acts of service, still others through hospitality or encouragement. The key is that our faith-sharing flows from a genuine relationship with Jesus, not from obligation or guilt.
When your life clearly echoes Jesus, the bell you ring resonates louder than winning any fight ever could. People aren't that closed off to the gospel - they're waiting, they're curious, they're looking for something real. The question is: are we offering them the real Jesus through our authentic lives?
Sharing our faith is not about winning arguments; it's about winning hearts through the authentic love of Christ lived out in our daily lives.
Bible Verse
'And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.' - Colossians 3:17
Reflection Question
In what areas of your life do you need to move from 'plastic Jesus' to authentic faith, and how might this transformation impact your ability to share the gospel with others?
Quote
When your life clearly echoes Jesus, the bell you ring resonates louder than winning any fight ever could.
Prayer
Lord, search my heart and reveal any areas where my faith has become fake or superficial. Make my relationship with You real and authentic. Let my life be a genuine reflection of Your love so others can see You clearly through me. Amen.