My name is Aubree Nelson, and if you’re reading this, you may recognize me as the daughter of Ashley Nelson (the founder of Mentoring Movement). However, as wonderful as it is to be the daughter of Ashley Nelson, it’s so much greater to be known as a daughter of the one true God. My Father in Heaven, the author of all great things, has given me the ability to be an author and to write, and so for his glory and his glory alone, I will.
7 months ago, I bought new bedding, towels, and hangers to spend 4 years with future world changers in hopes that one day I can become one myself. Still, I’m realizing now that the world’s definitions of “world changers” differ from mine. The students at Virginia Tech are studying to find a cure for cancer, they’re studying to find solutions for world hunger, and they’re learning to find ways to improve or protect people’s lives. As a student at Virginia Tech, I, too, am studying things like these, but that’s not how I plan to change the world.
Because even with all these good deeds, the world is still in darkness without the hope we have in Jesus. Since becoming a college student, I joined a campus ministry called BCM, which has become my second home. I made amazing Christian friends, got a job as a cleaner, and even became a leader and started to build a bible study! I was talking with another leader at BCM before our study groups began, and she asked me what my goals were for the next year of leadership. After thinking for a while, I told her I wanted to be better about spending intentional time reading the Word and being in prayer. I was pretty proud of my answer and how honest it was, so I challenged her to answer the same question. But what she said next shook me to my core.
“Yeah, I think those are great goals to set! Personally, I’m trying to focus more on growing in evangelism. I go to many Outreach events, and I’m pretty good about sharing the Gospel with my friends. But something the Lord has put on my heart lately is the moments when I’m not usually paying attention. Like, I ride the bus every day and don’t even blink at the fact that the people standing next to me have never heard the Gospel. Or I go to lunch and sit at a table by myself in the corner instead of getting to know someone. I think I want to pay more attention to the little moments over the next year, y’know?”
Wow. While listening to her talk, I saw all the moments I’d put on my noise-canceling headphones and secluded myself in classes, dining halls, buses, sidewalks, fields, paths, dorms, and even in BCM. Reflecting on this conversation, I’m reminded of these few verses from Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV), where Jesus tells us,
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
How can I be the light in a world full of darkness when I refuse to surrender my public-private time? How will people who don’t know the Gospel hear it if no one tells them? What if these little moments are the only moments these people will ever have to hear the good news? When I think about this passage, these questions start coming to mind. Imagine how simple it would be to start a conversation with someone in a hallway, at a bus stop, or in a break room. Imagine what our God could do if we surrendered each and every moment to him, even the ones that seem insignificant. That’s not to say that we should force the Gospel into every conversation we have, but that is to say that we should pursue conversation and relationships with others so that doors can be opened to share the Gospel.
Father God, will you open our eyes to see even the small moments and opportunities you provide for us to share the good news! Challenge us to be ready and willing in every moment, strengthen us to be the light you’ve called us to be, and help us to be world-changers!
After reflecting on these ideas, I think it’s safe to say I have a new goal for the year.
(Matthew 5:14-16) “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
