December 2: Go Home and Tell Them

You want to help people, but you’re not a preacher. What do you actually say?

The man in this story had been living among the tombs. He was out of control, cutting himself, chained and breaking the chains. People were afraid of him. Then Jesus met him and set him free. Suddenly he was sitting calmly, dressed and in his right mind.

He wanted to go with Jesus. That makes sense. Who wouldn’t? But Jesus said no. Go home to your friends. Tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.

Notice what Jesus didn’t say. He didn’t say go to seminary. He didn’t say learn the right arguments. He didn’t say wait until you’ve been free for five years. He said go home and tell your story. What happened. What God did. How He showed mercy.

That’s the heart of carrying the message in recovery too. The program has always stressed that you don’t preach to a newcomer. You don’t lecture them about what they should do. You tell them what happened to you. What it was like. What changed. What it’s like now. Then you let them decide whether they want what you have.

That takes the pressure off. You don’t need to have all the answers. You don’t need to convince anyone. You just need to be honest about your own experience. Your story is yours. Nobody can argue with it.

It also helps to keep it simple. People in pain don’t need long speeches. A few honest sentences can land harder than an hour of advice. “I used to drink every night. I thought I’d never stop. I was scared and ashamed. Some people helped me, and I found God was still there. I’ve been sober for a while now. It’s not always easy, but it’s so much better.”

Jesus sent the man home first. Sometimes the hardest people to tell are family, the ones who saw the worst of it. They may not be ready to hear it yet. That’s okay. Let your changed life do most of the talking.

One thing today

Write your story in five sentences: what it was like, what happened, and what it’s like now. Practice saying it out loud. Keep it honest and simple.

A prayer

Lord, You’ve had mercy on me. Help me tell what You’ve done, simply and honestly, without preaching. Give me the right moment and the right person, and let my life back up my words. Amen.

Carrying the message is the heart of Step Twelve.

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