As I have been preaching through the book of Romans this year, I have become more aware that I need to be a more redemptive person. A redemptive person is a person that is ready and willing to reach out and share their faith with others.

Paul had a huge redemptive heart. I saw it in the opening pages of Romans. He says, “I don’t want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles” (Romans 1:13). Paul wanted to visit Rome to sow the seeds of the Gospel and to see a harvest for God. He desired that for his own countrymen as well - “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved” (Romans 10:1). Jew or Gentile, slave or free, man or woman, Paul had a redemptive heart for people. His desire was to see people saved.
It was Paul who wrote in Galatians 6:9 these words: “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Paul knew that being a redemptive person was wearisome. It gets hard. It’s not easy today, is it? Our culture tells us that spiritual things are a private matter. “Don’t talk about God”, we often hear. But the Bible says, “Don’t grow weary. Harvest time is coming if you keep going.”
So how can we develop a redemptive heart? First, acknowledge that people need Jesus. The most important thing is for someone to know their sins are forgiven. Only Christ can accomplish that. Secondly, we need to pray. Prayers like this, “Lord, put someone on my heart that I can show Your grace to.” Or maybe the Lord has already placed someone on your heart and you need to pray, “Lord, open doors of opportunity for me to share with them.” God loves those prayers. God is waiting for us to pray like that. Jesus told us to pray like that. One day Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:37-38). God owns the harvest field and yet he asks his workers to pray to him for more workers in his field. Why? The only answer I can come up with is that God must love to be asked. And as I ask him, my heart changes, my mind changes, irritations with people can turn into opportunities to share with people.
So, to be a redemptive person I need to acknowledge that people need Jesus and to ask God to send workers into his harvest field to reap the harvest.
Here’s my question to you. Who is God going to send into your neighborhood? Into your workplace? At your school? To your family?
Here’s my challenge to you. Easter weekend is only 7 weeks away. Will you join me in praying for the Lord of the harvest to send workers into his harvest field? Will you ask God to lay someone on your heart that needs to be saved? Will you ask God for opportunities to share with that person that God loves them and sent Jesus to be their Savior? Will you invite them to church on Easter weekend to hear the Gospel?

Jesus words are still true today, the harvest is plentiful. And we will reap a harvest if we don’t give up!