“Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40 NLT)
Our response to the Gospel, once we’re saved, is to share the Good News of salvation with anyone and everyone who will listen. To be possessors of the truth of the Gospel and not share it is sin. We’re not saved simply to grow spiritually fat with all our knowledge and wisdom, but to grow in those things with the express intent to be more prepared and equipped to share them. Preston Perry was right when he said: “We fall into sin when we don’t think about God and we don’t think about our neighbor.”
The plot thickens when we’re surrounded by those who hate the idea of God and hate us for believing in and following Him. Again, Preston Perry asks a vital question: “Will my love for Jesus still be as loud when I’m surrounded by people who hate him?” Obviously, the Lord plants us where He desires us to bloom, but often the Lord puts us in an environment where everything and everyone seems opposed to anything we stand for, but why? Why would the Lord put us in such an environment? Simply to fail?
Having met a lot of angry, God-opposing people, one thing I’ve learned: they may hate God (or think they do), but they have a real affinity to love, kindness, gentleness, generosity, and patience. The worst thing we can do is respond to anger with anger, but when we respond to anger with kindness, thoughtfulness, patience, generosity, which are all expressions of love, while they may not make the immediate connection between God and love, hopefully, it will at least begin to soften their heart.
After several interactions with a young Mormon Elder, he texted me and said: “Yeah, there are definitely a lot of differences between us and traditional Christianity, thanks for being so even-keeled and a good friend to talk to!” And please don’t misunderstand, my intention isn’t to brag on myself or say I have this down, I certainly do not. What I do is ask the Lord to give me wisdom in writing any communication with anyone. The Spirit will lead you when you ask Him.
My approach has been to be upfront and honest, but also bold in sharing the truth of the Christian Faith. I’m simply doing what Preston Perry suggests when he wrote: “Using the gifts and personality God has given you, through your fears and discouragement, be bold in how you tell the truth to others.” We must understand that sharing our faith isn’t about winning an argument, it’s about rescuing a drowning person. We don’t offer swimming lessons; we extend a hand to rescue them.
As we communicate daily with lost loved ones, friends, co-workers, classmates, and others, we’re not seeking to win a battle, though on some levels we’re in a spiritual war; we’re seeking to convey to someone who doesn’t yet understand, what created in us the desire to follow Jesus. We must not allow our pride, arrogance, or other manifestations of sin in our behavior push people away. We can’t allow the enemy to use our personal conduct or behavior to cause someone to turn away from the Lord.
While the Lord has given me a burden for my neighbors, if they ask me not to send them anymore messages, I do comply but seek to keep the door of communication open as I see them in their yard or pass them in the neighborhood. I’m also praying the Lord will put someone else in their lives who can water what I’ve planted.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
