Abraham's servant-evangelism

If I mentioned the word "evangelism," what ideas do you see? What styles come to mind? Do you picture someone going from house to house in some neighborhood knocking on doors and handing out tracts? Do you think of some evangelist preaching in a church? In all these ideas, have you ever thought of Abraham and his servant?

In Genesis 24, we see the results of Abraham's evangelism with his servant. Most of us miss it because it's not that obvious. After all who would think to look for evangelism in the story of the servant going to get a wife for Isaac. But we have Abraham's method of evangelism revealed here. So let's take a look at this chapter and maybe we will be able to see the evangelism more clearly.

The Bible does not give many details about the journey itself, but it does tell us about the ten camels and the prayer by the servant asking for specific guidance in his decision. He asks for a woman who will demonstrate hospitality, kindness, generosity, and a good work ethic. He prays that God will reveal the inner character of the woman. He believes inner character is more important than mere beauty. After all, most young men look merely for beauty.

A wife can be a beauty queen, but if she's a drunkard, plays with drugs, or plays the lottery then she cannot be trusted with money for groceries. If she has vanity she will not practice hospitality or kindness to her neighbors. If she responds with jealousy or envy you will not see her being generous for fear someone might be getting something that she does not get. Or if she stays self-absorbed, she will not have time for labor. Her life will revolve around her. The servant of Abraham must have understood at least some of this.

The servant brings ten camels which he then uses as a test. Female camels can drink twenty gallons of water while male camels can drink up to thirty gallons. He brought ten. So he honestly looks for a woman who will volunteer to use her 3-5 gallon bucket to draw 200-300 gallons of water out of that well. Big test. Big prayer.

Ah yes, the prayer. Where did he learn to pray to the Lord God of Abraham? How did he learn that God hears such a prayer? How did he come to believe that God had already gone before him and arranged the circumstances even to the words that would be spoken by the woman? Where did he learn about such a thing without Sunday School? Did someone come by knocking on his door offering him a tract? Did someone take him to a preaching service?

The Bible shares with us that he was Abraham's oldest servant, in charge of everything, Abraham's right hand man (24:2). He had worked side by side with Abraham for years. He had seen Abraham's life and heard Abraham's prayers. He had questioned him on the travel plans and received assurance that God would lead the way; God would go before them to give them success in their journey (24:39-40). God had called Abraham to bless the nations. While he waited for that to unfold, Abraham lived and shared his faith with those within his reach. He shared with family, friends, and co-workers. He didn't go door to door, but he did go soul to soul within his reach.

The servant began to trust God by pulling from Abraham's faith (24:12). Many times new Christians rely on the faith of those who have influenced them. Over time they own the faith for themselves as did Abraham's servant.

When he realized that his prayer had been heard, that God had listened to him, that God had answered his prayer, he bowed low in thanksgiving, worship, and awe (24:26, 48, 52). The evangelism had been completed, the faith was now owned by the servant. No longer would the Lord be only the God of his master, Abraham; the Lord would be his God as well (24:56).

Abraham, the father of our faith understood how to live out and share his faith with those persons within his reach. He could reach family, friends, and co-workers. Have you learned that same lesson? Have you learned to share your faith with those who watch you live? They are watching. Do they understand? If you don't tell them, who will?

Rev. Ted Beam