What I'm about to say does not in any way put down Romans 10:14-15. That passage talks about people who go. I'm talking about HOW people go. Okay, back to my thought...
I do not believe that truth in any form needs a salesman. The truth sells itself. For far too long I've seen Christians act irrationally. They act as if their faith NEEDS them. They act as though God will not accomplish his task without them. What really bothers me is when leaders highlight these people as ambassadors of the proper mode of evangelism. It gets me going bonkers. You see, Christ doesn't NEED me. He wants me but doesn't NEED me. He's God. He's not needy in ANY way. Remember the whole "Alpha and Omega" stuff? C'mon. His job description can only be filled by HIM. I personally believe that's the attractiveness to the whole program. God doesn't Need me to do anything. In fact, my WHOLE responsibility is to get the heck out of the way when the Holy Spirit wants to work.
Philippians 2:13 says "[because] it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."
Let me get this straight. I'm a sinner. If I'm on a bus it has "hell" written in the marquee. Jesus offers me a pass to get onto His bus marked "Heaven". I accept his free ticket and when I get on the bus he gives me the gift of the Holy Spirit. So not only does he give me an eternal destiny unlike anything I could ask, hope, think or imagine... He gives me a comforter, decision maker, guide, rock of salvation to live in me to point me in the right direction? WOW! And the best part is for compensation he wants NOTHING but for me to sit down and let him move in and through me? AMAZING. How many people wouldn't take that job description? What a benefits package for simply not screwing up the bosses plan.
So this brings me to my statement about Truth not needing a Salesman. With a bargain like that who really needs to be 'sold'? Told but not sold. Compelled, not yelled.
Truth just needs to be shared in love. Remember the whole "gentleness and respect" clause of evangelism? This isn't only true from Christianity's stand-point. Truth is truth. The marketplace already 'gets it'. That's why there is no pressure from a friend who says "Dude, You've gotta try _____ product!" That's the brilliance behind so many companies like Mary Kay, Shaklee,
In the church however we have a tendency to focus so much on the 'win' that we forget that what we're doing isn't a game. We treat people as if they are some trophy to get on the shelf or a notch to get in a belt. In our passion to 'save' them we ignore the fact that the Holy Spirit is the one that prompts and ultimately rescues. Now again, don't get me wrong... we have a responsibility, a calling to share the truth in love. But we don't have to do it acting as if we ourselves are God. That corner office is already taken.
As each of us fall in love with Jesus and tell others of the greatness he's brought to our lives and truly demonstrate his love we will see lives changed and salvation around us. We must be evangelistically minded and Christ-hearted at the same time. They are not mutually exclusive.
The truth doesn't NEED you as a Salesman.
1 comment:
I think it could be taken a little further. If someone does view themselves as a salesman, they could at least have the attitude that 'this thing sales itself.'I get very frustrated with programs and gymics to 'win the world' What it amounts to is slick tricks and a barrage of quirky, 'biblical', pre-packaged responses in order to get the heathen to pray a prayer.
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