Witnessing by word and example
A few months ago, I graduated from a Christian college where I was surrounded by like-minded Christians and was able to freely talk about my faith. After deciding to take a year off, I had to find a full-time job to support myself. I found a decent job, but often find myself in great fear/anxiety about truly showing my faith. I've talked it over with a few family members and friends and they've talked about living by example. While I know that we only have "control" over ourselves and what we say and do, aren't we also to use the Word to teach, rebuke, and train in righteousness? Is simply living "by example" enough for our Christian faith to be known? Is there some easy way to let our faith be known without "soliciting" or "imposing" on others?
Fear and anxiety in showing our faith can result from different factors. There can be the fear of ridicule and verbal persecution. There can be the anxiety of wondering whether I will be able to come up with a response if someone asks me a question about the Bible or the Christian faith. Since I do not know your particular situation, my response will be general in nature.
Our God does instruct us to live our faith in our everyday lives. Jesus said, “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” (Matthew 5:14-16).
Our God also instructs us to speak to others about his wonderful works. The psalmist wrote: “Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts” (Psalm 105:1-2). God even directs us to prepare ourselves for times when others ask us about our faith: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15).
I appreciate your question about whether “simply living ‘by example’ [is] enough for our Christian faith to be known.” If we do not speak to others about our faith, people could look at our lives and conclude: 1) we are Christians, or 2) we are nice, morally-upright unbelievers. When we have opportunity to speak to people, option number two will disappear.
Can you let your faith be known without soliciting or imposing it on others? Certainly. As you converse with people at and outside your workplace, you can build relationships with them. In the course of conversations, as natural opportunities arise, you can speak of your faith. That way of sharing your faith is quite different from a “soliciting” or “imposing” approach that gives people the message of Jesus Christ but without the context of a caring relationship.
Perhaps you could benefit from personal evangelism tools that are available from WELS Commission on Evangelism. This link will take you to those tools. God bless the witnessing that you do—in word and by example.