We have been discussing the importance of “knowing God and making Him known”. In Acts 17, The Apostle Paul made God known in the marketplace. Because he took the time to connect and reason with people, he was asked to speak to the Athenians at the Areopagus, also known as Mars Hill. He received this invitation because he took the time to reason with them.
To an Unknown God
Earlier, he toured the city and found that Athens was “full of idols.” In doing so, he came across an inscription that said, “To an unknown God.” Paul reasoned with the people of Athens about this “Unknown God.” Here’s what he said about this unknown God:

* Made all things and is Lord of all
* Doesn’t need people to feed Him or supply Him with sustenance
* Created one man, and the entire human race came from this man
* People would seek this God
* He is not far from us; He is very accessible
* Paul was showing them that this God is different from all the other gods.

Now look at the result:

* Some sneered and dismissed the Apostle.
* Others wanted to hear more.
* Some believed and joined Paul.
When you make God known to others, you will have mixed results. Just like in sales and other areas of business. Some will dismiss what you have to say, some will show interest, others will believe. You have to keep at it.
Walk the Walk, Talk The Talk
I’ve heard people say “You can’t just ‘talk the talk.’ You also have to ‘walk the walk.’” I completely agree! You have to do both. After all, if you “talk the talk,” but don’t “walk the walk,” this can greatly harm your witness and effectiveness. However, I often wonder if there are many people who “walk the walk,” but think that they don’t have to “talk the talk.” Some people believe that all you have to do is “walk the walk.”
Takeaways:

* You should “walk the walk.” You should also “talk the talk.” The Apostle Paul did both. He approached others using reason, having meaningful dialogue with people.
* Reason with others; engage in meaningful dialogue.
* Know that the results will be mixed. You have to keep at it. Perhaps you have heard the phrase, “Some will. Some won’t. So what.” Salespeople often use this phrase, knowing that perseverance pays off. This applies to your witness in the marketplace as well.

Action Point: Write down a few ways that you can make God known in the marketplace. Start a brainstorming session on how you might go about doing just that. Begin that process. Perhaps think more specifically as to how you can engage in meaningful dialogue with others, how you can better “talk the talk.”