Evangelism: Helping You Answer the Tough QuestionsSample

“Do I Matter?”

Every day we walk past people who are crying out for attention. They want to know if they are accepted and if they are valuable. They want to understand where they fit in society because most of the time they have felt like an outcast.

It may be the waitress at your favorite restaurant, a student in your classroom, or even the professor who stands before you boldly every day, but many are asking, “Do I matter?”

In essence, they are saying, “Do you see me, or am I invisible? Do you see my pain? Do you hear my cry for help? Can you tell that I am struggling?”

Jesus longs to answer their questions through you. He wants to partner with you to convince them that they are beautiful, meaningful, and created by design.

In the story of the Good Samaritan, a man was abused and left for dead. Several people (even good, religious people) walked past him and made excuses as to why they didn’t have time or capacity to help him. They felt justified in their decision. I am sure that they were hoping or praying that someone else would care for him, but they chose not to do it themselves.

As he lay in the ditch, he probably wondered, “Do I matter? Does anyone care?”

But along came the hero of the story, a person from the land of Samaria. He had many valid reasons why he should not have been the one to help, but his compassionate heart led him to do what was right. The Samaritan picked up the hurting man, bandaged him, protected him, and cared for him.

Similar story, different time and scenery. People are lying in proverbial gutters along roadsides in every school, town, and even in every church. Physically, they may look fine. They may not be cut and wounded, but they are emotionally scarred. They feel abused, abandoned, and ignored. What they truly need is a relationship with Jesus who can heal their pain, mend their hearts, forgive their sins, and save their souls. The first step in that direction may be a Christ-follower who simply says, “I see you, and I care. You do matter to me.”

Will you be that one to answer the question, “Do I matter?”