One evening, as I tucked my 10-year-old daughter into bed, we ended the day the same way we always do—with a quiet prayer and a good night kiss. Just as I turned to leave, she looked up at me and said, “Mommy, do you know what my friend Emily asked me today?” What followed was a story I was not expecting.
Earlier that day, during recess, my daughter and Emily had been talking on the playground when Emily suddenly wondered aloud, “Who was the first person born on earth?”
Without hesitation my daughter answered confidently: “Cain and Abel.”
Emily looked at her with confusion. “Who’s that?” she asked.
So my daughter explained that Cain and Abel were the sons of Adam and Eve—the first humans created by God.
Emily then asked how she knew this.
“It’s in the Bible,” my daughter replied.
That answer stopped Emily in her tracks. Her eyes grew wide. “What’s a Bible?” she asked.
My daughter told her it was a book filled with stories about how the world was created and about Jesus.
But Emily’s questions did not stop there. “Who’s Jesus?”
Without realizing the weight of what she was doing, my daughter shared the story she knew by heart—that Jesus was born, that He is God’s Son, and that He died on a cross to save us from our sins so that we could have eternal life with Him.
When she finished, Emily asked where she could get a Bible so she could read those stories herself.
As my daughter spoke, I sat on the edge of her bed, stunned. I realized two things that night. First, there are people living right beside us—children on the same playgrounds, families in the same neighborhoods—who have never heard the name of Jesus. Second, how often do we, as adults, miss these moments? How often do we hesitate, overthink, or remain silent when an open door is placed directly in front of us? My daughter did not prepare a speech or worry about saying the “right” words. She simply answered honest questions with what she knew to be true.
Simple, Faithful Obedience
When Jesus told His disciples that we must become like children, I believe this is what He meant. Children share faith without fear, without agenda, and without hesitation. Their belief is uncomplicated, their courage uncalculated, and their witness pure. That night my daughter went to sleep unaware that she had preached a sermon—one that gently reminded me what simple, faithful obedience looks like.
In the Adult Bible Study Guide lesson “Share Him,” we are reminded that sharing Jesus is never meant to be an obligation. It is meant to flow naturally—from love for God and genuine care for others. When our hearts are open, sharing becomes less about duty and more about relationship.
If our earthly eyes could be opened, we would be astonished to see how many of our everyday interactions are actually spiritual encounters—divine appointments orchestrated by heaven. Those quiet gut feelings, gentle nudges, or sudden inclinations to act may very well be the Holy Spirit guiding our steps, inviting us to participate in God’s work in ways we may not immediately recognize.
Recently my daughter made the beautiful decision to be baptized. As we prepared for this special Sabbath, I invited extended family and friends to witness her public declaration of faith. While I was thinking about whom to invite, a colleague from work unexpectedly came to mind. She lived more than an hour away from our church, and I hesitated briefly—but I felt impressed to send her a simple text invitation.
Almost immediately she responded with excitement. She shared that she had always wanted to attend a Seventh-day Adventist church but had never been invited—until now. At the time, I had no idea that this small act of obedience was part of something much larger.
Children share faith without fear, without agenda, and without hesitation.
She came to the baptism that Sabbath. Then she came back the next Sabbath. And the next. Weeks turned into months. Eventually she shared something that left me in awe: She had been searching for a church and praying earnestly that God would lead her to the right one. Just days later she received my text. With joy in her voice she told me she had begun Bible studies and desired to be baptized as a Seventh-day Adventist herself.
What felt like a simple invitation turned out to be a holy moment—one of many reminders that when we listen and respond to the Spirit’s prompting, God can use our ordinary actions to accomplish extraordinary purposes. We may never fully see the impact of a single text, conversation, or invitation, but heaven does.
Simple Trust
Sometimes, sharing Him is as simple as saying yes to a quiet nudge—and trusting God to do the rest.
Sometimes, trusting God’s timing feels most difficult when it involves our own families—especially children or loved ones who have stepped away from their faith. In those seasons hope can feel fragile. Yet Scripture and experience remind us never to underestimate the power of a praying parent or spouse. God has not forgotten them. Not one prayer is wasted. Every whispered plea is heard, received, and carried forward by the Holy Spirit, who works in ways far beyond our understanding.
I was reminded of this truth during a sermon preached by a pastor who spoke directly to those burdened by loved ones who had fallen away from the Lord. At the conclusion of his message he made an altar call—not for personal needs, but for those who carried the names of sons, daughters, spouses, or family members in their hearts and prayers.
People rose from their pews and moved forward. Soon the front of the church was filled. It was a quiet but powerful testimony: so many faithful believers silently carrying the ache of loved ones who no longer walked beside them in faith.
As the pastor prayed over those gathered, a sudden gasp rippled through the congregation. Then came the sound of a woman crying out—loud, joyful, unmistakable. The moment drew everyone’s attention to an elderly couple standing near the front. They had been praying faithfully, day after day, for their adult daughter who had stopped attending church and turned away from her faith. What no one knew—until that very moment—was that their daughter had felt a strong and undeniable urging to come to church that morning. The conviction of the Holy Spirit pressed so deeply on her heart that she got into her car and drove to the church in which she had grown up.
As she walked through the doors, she saw her parents standing at the front. She heard the pastor praying—for those who needed to come back. Drawn forward, she walked down the aisle and wrapped her arms around her weeping parents. When they turned and saw her, disbelief and joy washed over their faces.
Through tears she whispered the words they had been praying to hear for years:
“I want to come back.”
It was a holy moment—one that reminded everyone present that God is always at work, even when we cannot see it. His timing is perfect. His reach is relentless. And the prayers of faithful parents and loved ones are powerful beyond measure.
The Bible says, “The Lord God has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned. The Lord God has opened My ear; and I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away” (Isa. 50:4, 5).
This verse offers a profound invitation: God gives both the wisdom to speak and the sensitivity to listen—but only to those who are attentive to His voice. When our ears are open and our hearts are surrendered, He equips us with words that bring life, comfort, and truth to the weary.
In ancient Israel the concept of listening carried a deep covenantal meaning. A bondservant who loved their master and chose to remain in lifelong service would publicly ask for their ear to be “opened.” As described in Exodus and Deuteronomy, this was an act not of coercion but of devotion. Before witnesses, the servant’s ear was pierced, marking a permanent, voluntary commitment to serve a master they trusted and loved. The pierced ear symbolized readiness—an intentional posture of obedience, attentiveness, and loyalty.
This image beautifully mirrors the call of Christ. Our service to Him is born, not from obligation, but from love. We choose devotion not because we must, but because we have been redeemed. Gratitude for salvation transforms duty into delight.
As God’s servants we are invited to live with ears open—awake each morning to hear His voice and responsive when He calls. Our daily prayer should be for hearts that listen and hands that act, for words spoken with gentleness and truth, and for a willingness to share Christ with kindness and humility.
When we open our ears to Him, God opens our mouths to speak the exact words the weary need—right on time.
