Relationship and reason

Did you ever see or know those people who always had to get their point across?  Literally nothing would do except that you knew how they felt about a particular subject?  Did you ever see or know those Christians who lived by that example?  In my younger days, I was one of those Christians.

In junior high, I had to make sure people knew I wasn't ashamed of the gospel.  Whether that meant condemning conversations or cramming it down various throats, it sure enough didn't matter to me.  In retrospect, I probably could have done some things different.  For example, I could've actually shown Jesus's compassion on people.  It's not like I didn't want people to experience the Holy Spirit and I'm sure my intentions were good, but the way I carried myself wasn't the best.  I noticed, too, that it wasn't just me.

My senior year of high school, I had someone tell me about a huge argument that went down in an 11th grade English class.  Questions about faith and the way to heaven were brought up in the class, prompting two girls to talk aloud.  One was a borderline atheist/agnostic (we'll call her X) and the other was a devout Christian (Y).  As the discussion started, Y quickly sent out her view.  "Jesus is the only way to heaven", she said.  Of course she was correct, but how the conversation ended up was brutal.

X: What about all of the other religions?
Y: They're not right.
X: Well, what about --
Y: It doesn't matter.  Jesus is the only way to heaven.
X: But I'm just saying --
Y: Jesus is the only way.
X: What about --
Y: You're wrong.

Needless to say, X was in tears by the end.  After the class, she told the whole school that people like Y is why she didn't go to church.  People like Y is why she didn't want to be a Christian.

Scary, isn't it?

Here in recent days, I think I've figured out the best way to witness..

We live in a very hungry society.  People search and search, trying to find the truths about some sort of absolute.  Too, a majority of people in the United States, especially in the Bible belt of Arkansas, consider themselves to believe in God though perhaps not living it out.  However, pointing that out may not be the best way to go about witnessing, huh?  Regardless, they're still in pursuit of something concrete, something absolute, something visible.  Concrete, Jesus is.  Absolute, Jesus is.  Visible, Jesus is.  "How?" you may ask.  "Through His Church," I reply.  

They have questions about the purpose of humanity, what happens in the afterlife, why there is pain, and why there is suffering.  As a Christian, you and I have the answers they're looking for.  In clarification, we may not have the answers they want, but we do have the answers they're looking for.  Every answer to every question is in the living, Holy Spirit inspired Word of God.

Observe what Paul did in Acts 17.

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.  Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ. - Acts 17:1-3

The word reason means: to mingle thought with thought; to ponder; to provoke thought.

When Paul reasoned with them do you think he made them feel stupid or challenged?  Do you think he screamed at them or spoke softly?  Do you think he cut them off in mid sentence or let them have their say?

I think he challenged them, spoke calmly with them, and let them stay what they wanted all while asking questions (not intrusively, but interestedly).  Interested in what?  Them - their thoughts, opinions, and feelings.  I know first hand that making people feel like idiots is a horrible witnessing tool.  Understand that Paul didn't condone what the nonbelievers were doing, he just didn't condemn it.  The best way to reach out to somebody is to to be all things to all men through provoking thoughts in their minds.  Notice that the Bible says Paul reasoned from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating.  When people figure out that you're desiring to build a relationship with them, they'll have questions of their own to ask you.  People ask sincere questions when they realize we're sincere people.  Thus, you will have opportunity to explain and demonstrate.  Also, recognize that Jesus and the disciples both build ministries off of relationships with people.   Following, Acts 17 says that Paul for three Sabbaths reasoned.  Acts 18 tells us that Paul was a tent maker.  The Sabbath was only one day a week.  He stayed for 3 Sabbaths.  What do you think Paul was doing for the other days of the week?  I think he was probably making tents and building relationships with people of the community.  People are more willing to hear us when we invest in them.

I've actually put this into practice recently.

There's a guy I've been getting to know for the past year or so.  He knows I'm a believer and he used to be a believer as well (or not saved at all, depending on your view).  Anyways, in the past two days God has really opened up the door for me to share with him.  I think that's because I had to build a relationship with the guy first.  Now that I have, more opportunities are becoming available for me to reason with him.  I'm incredibly stoked to see God give the increase.

Going back to the younger days, I could've cared less about building a relationship with the people I tried to witness to.  I was just making sure they knew I was unashamed .  Now that I understand that relationship and reason are probably the best ways to witness, I'm going to use them more and more.

Also, I'm pretty sure Y has too.