Changing the world for good
How can we really change the world for good?
I don’t know about you, but sometimes it feels like the world is becoming more and more hopeless. Yet Paul’s letter to the Colossians has reminded me just how great a hope we have in Jesus. If that’s true, if knowing him is truly our greatest treasure, then the greatest thing we can do as a church is to make him known to a world that desperately needs him too.
So how do we do that?
In Colossians 4, Paul gives us three simple and yet powerful ways to take part in Jesus’ mission:
1) Pray faithfully
Paul begins: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful” (verse 2). Being devoted to prayer doesn’t necessarily mean getting up at 3am every day and praying for four hours. It means being faithful in prayer across our whole lives.
As Paul goes on, it means living with one eye on the needs of the world, and the other on the sovereign God who rules over it. It’s about being watchful, aware of what’s going on, and thankful, remembering God is always at work, even if we only see a fraction of it.
Paul also asks for prayer for openness, that God would open doors for the gospel, and for clarity, that the message of Jesus would be made clear to those who hear it.
One simple way to begin? Try the One Minute Prayer. Every day at 1pm (or a time that works for you), pause and pray for one person to come to know Jesus, and for one gospel worker to share him clearly. It can really be that simple.
1pm. One minute. One person. One gospel worker.
2) Act wisely
Paul continues, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity” (verse 5). To act wisely literally means to ‘walk wisely’ towards outsiders; to live like Jesus in the lives of those who don’t yet know him. Mike Frost, in his book Surprise the World, describes this as living 'questionable lives', living such “generous, hospitable, Spirit-led, Christlike lives” that people can’t help but ask why.
I saw this first in my year 7 history teacher, Mr Watts. He was known both for his full-on faith and his genuine kindness, even to colleagues who mocked him. Over time, other teachers started joining him on playground lunch duty because he was the only one who didn’t speak badly about others behind their backs. And over the 40 minutes of lunch, he’d slowly tell them why.
3) Speak graciously
“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt” (verse 6). Most people will never read a Bible, but they’ll read us. So when they ask why we live the way we do, let’s be ready to answer with grace-filled words, spoken in a grace-filled way. As the apostle Peter writes: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). That doesn’t necessarily mean downloading a sermon. It can just be a few words that point people to the hope we have in Jesus.
Here’s the amazing thing: people are often more open to listen, than we are to speak. In fact, a recent McCrindle survey found that 79% of Australians (4 in 5) are willing to talk about spiritual things with someone they know … like us.
We need to remember too that we’re not solo missionaries, flung into the world alone and empty-handed. As the rest of Colossians 4 shows us, we’re partners together in this kingdom work. And Jesus is right there with us, promising us both his power (Acts 1:8) — to speak through our weak and faltering words — and his presence — to always be with us, no matter where we go or what we face (Matthew 28:20).
So let’s pray faithfully, act wisely, and speak graciously, that through us Jesus might change the world for good — and for the glory of his wonderful name.
Yours in Christ,
Mark Barry
Assistant Minister
Community Connections
11 August 2025