Candy from Strangers
I have to admit, there have been some times recently where I've felt about ready to shake the dust off my Skechers and leave town. Granted, I know that I can't yet, I still have another 4 1/2 months left on my contract, and there is some reason God has not smote me yet. Sometimes, God, I just wonder why I can't be somewhere where I can see some RESULTS.
For instance, last week I was talking with some people I know up on the floor, one of them is a social worker who is a fantastic person, very welcoming. I felt the desire to share the basics of my faith with the people there, creation of the world, fall into sin, Jesus coming to save us, etc. So I tried the basic dialogue evangelism stuff. And my friend, who is a non-believer, said I came across as defensive.
It's hard for me to NOT to believe that there's something different I could do to get people to believe. And yet, that's what I'm called to believe as a Christian. If someone comes to faith, it's solely the work of the Holy Spirit. If people don't come to faith, then do I just blame them? Or is there something in me that is getting in the way. Am I being too defensive? Or worse, am I being offensive?
In talking to some friends, I realized that in many situations we are going to need something more than telling people what's "the truth."
So the question arises...how can we lead people to "the truth"? I don't think we can just plop it in front of them and expect them to just swallow it, without knowing where it comes from? I mean, we all learned as children not to take candy from strangers.
I was reading the first chapter of "Why I Am a Lutheran" the other day, and this paragraph stood out to me:
"Truth without grace won't help us. Moses brought truth. Moses brought the Law, and every word of it was true. But it only showed people their sins, their weaknesses, their failings, their lack of love for the God who gave that Law."
It's cliche to speak of "the bitter truth." But that's really the heart of it...the truth hurts. So the challenge is to communicate the sweetness of grace, the sweetness of the love of our Savior, who searched us out to give us sweet life and meaning and purpose, so that we in turn can be not just strangers with candy but friends who share that sweet sweet grace in times of need.
For instance, last week I was talking with some people I know up on the floor, one of them is a social worker who is a fantastic person, very welcoming. I felt the desire to share the basics of my faith with the people there, creation of the world, fall into sin, Jesus coming to save us, etc. So I tried the basic dialogue evangelism stuff. And my friend, who is a non-believer, said I came across as defensive.
It's hard for me to NOT to believe that there's something different I could do to get people to believe. And yet, that's what I'm called to believe as a Christian. If someone comes to faith, it's solely the work of the Holy Spirit. If people don't come to faith, then do I just blame them? Or is there something in me that is getting in the way. Am I being too defensive? Or worse, am I being offensive?
In talking to some friends, I realized that in many situations we are going to need something more than telling people what's "the truth."
So the question arises...how can we lead people to "the truth"? I don't think we can just plop it in front of them and expect them to just swallow it, without knowing where it comes from? I mean, we all learned as children not to take candy from strangers.
I was reading the first chapter of "Why I Am a Lutheran" the other day, and this paragraph stood out to me:
"Truth without grace won't help us. Moses brought truth. Moses brought the Law, and every word of it was true. But it only showed people their sins, their weaknesses, their failings, their lack of love for the God who gave that Law."
It's cliche to speak of "the bitter truth." But that's really the heart of it...the truth hurts. So the challenge is to communicate the sweetness of grace, the sweetness of the love of our Savior, who searched us out to give us sweet life and meaning and purpose, so that we in turn can be not just strangers with candy but friends who share that sweet sweet grace in times of need.
posted by Jed at 8:26 PM
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