:: Articles ::Some of
my random thoughts on life and what happens |
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:: Saturday, November 24, 2002 :: There are two
words that scare Christians and non-Christians alike, EVANGELISM.� It evokes the same response from the
hearers as the word �Mofassa� in the Lion King or Voldemort in Harry Potter (Am
I allowed to read that as a Christ follower?).� Evangelism is the message of good news!� Why do we all shrink away from it?� I think part of the reason is that we�ve
missed the essence of what Evangelism really means.� Webster defines evangelism in the following way: Main Entry: evan�ge�lism
Militant or
crusading zeal!� What the heck, have
we screwed up so bad?� Drifting eons
away from Jesus Himself saying: For God did not send his Son into the
world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.� When we went through our Vacation
Ownership Spiel I realized that Webster�s definition is much more true than
we would like to admit. Mighty Mouse continually reassured us that they were not into high-pressure sales but everything they did showed the opposite.� We felt like her project for the afternoon �� if we really have clout then we will buy but remember they�re not into high pressure sales.� The lunch was an attempt to coerce us into dropping our guard, it was also an opportunity for her to create a project profile of us. She asked questions about our lives that seemed like interest on the surface, in actuality it was more of a scientific method. When we refused her and Stingray�s deal, they stung us and left us with a sarcastic smirk.� We were pissed. Eight years
ago a man who was badly clothed and smelled showed me that I reeked
inside.� It was a boring day at
church, full of pride I decided to walk out of the service and do real
worship and work for God.� He stood in
the street outside the sanctuary and asked me if I saw the movie �A river
runs through it�. Yes, I
replied, and started my project profile on him. Do you like
watching movies? Yeah I love it. What was the
message you got out of the movie? That life should be lived to the fullest. Do you
believe that you can say that�s true of you right now? He gave no
answer and evaded the question.� I
continued to probe with jabs aimed at showing him that he really needed what
I had.� The conversation continued
with me forming his profile.�
According to my profile he was a drug junky and an alcoholic who�s
making a huge mess of his life.� He is
a bum that will probably try to squeeze some money out of me shortly.� Internally I was blackening him, outwardly
I painted a pretty picture with courtesy and smiles.� In my mind this �project of mine� will
repent in a few minutes and see the light!�
Then God
intervened, the bum looked me straight in the eyes in said to me: I�m only another tick on your list, am I not?� You don�t really care about me.� I�m your project!� You can�t wait to get back to your friends to tell them that you�ve made another convert. He turned
around and walked away, he was right and I repented.� In that moment he became the messenger and
I the recipient.� That evening I read
Jesus� words in Matthew 23: �Woe to you,
teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and
sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as
much a son of hell as you are.� OUCH.� Sitting there with Mighty Mouse I was
reminded that we should honor God by seeing all people as His and not reduce
them to a project.� Projects easily
discarded if they don�t fit into our plan.�
It also forced me to see that maybe my plan sucked, maybe I was a son
of hell in my blackened state and motivation. Arguably it
was acceptable for Mighty Mouse to profile us, but it�s definitely
unacceptable for Christ followers to do that, to God�s people created in His
image.� We are called to love not
profile. Matthew 25: 41 �Then he will say to those on his
left, �Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for
the devil and his angels. �42 For
I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me
nothing to drink, �43 I was
a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not
clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.� 44 �They also will answer, �Lord, when
did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or
in prison, and did not help you?� 45 �He will reply, �I tell you the truth,
whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for
me.� What a
difference it would make if we treat all people as loved by God! Tomorrow I will share part3. |
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