Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Guilty As Charged

*Part Seven of the Radical Read-Along with Marla Taviano

"Some wonder if it is unfair for God to allow so many to have no knowledge of the gospel. But there is no injustice in God. The injustice lies in Christians who posses the gospel and refuse to give their lives to making it known among those who haven't heard. That is unfair." - Radical page 159

It's not that I don't care about people who don't know Jesus, though I do seem to be more concerned about meeting material needs than spiritual ones (like a mentioned in this post.) My problem, or my lame excuse anyways, is that I get bogged down. Not by the billions of people who have never heard of Christ, but by the amount of people who just don't seem to care. I am overwhelmed by the thought of talking about Christ to the man already set in his own religious beliefs, or the lady so comfortable in her lifestyle that she refuses to follow Christ because of the change it would entail, or the guy who just flat out thinks Christianity and religion are ignorant cop-outs for the weak minded, or the gal who thinks it is nice that I have religion but "it's just not for her - no hard feelings". I don't know how to talk to these kinds of people and something in my head tells me that they won't listen anyways, so why try?

Awful I know, but that's where I'm at. 

I love to love people - I love to give to those in desperate circumstances and minister to physical and emotional needs of people. I love doling out smiles and hugs and kind words to those who don't get them often. But when it comes to directing them to the One who can meet their eternal and spiritual needs - I hush up like a clam. I make the dangerous assumption that they've already heard it all and have already rejected it. 

I've gone to apologetic seminars and heard countless sermon on how to share your faith. I've read all sorts of "How To" books on the topic and "arguments" about the truth of Christianity, but when a  moment to share Christ presents itself I am at a lose for words.   

I love to show people God's love through my actions. But telling them about Him with my words... ::GULP::

I wonder so often how I can claim (in my little group of like-minded friends) that Christ is the One Way to heaven and yet make little to no effort to actually say that to someone who doesn't already believe it? If I REALLY and fully believed this is Truth, wouldn't I say something? Or has my desire for approval and self-preservation manifested itself in a kind of deep-seeded materialistic idolatry - one that has nothing to do with possessions and everything to do with my reputation, my emotional comfort zone, and other people's perceptions of me? 




6 comments:

  1. Great post! I am right there with you, unless someone just asks me, I feel so inadequate to lead them to Christ. I am not what some call a smooth talker.

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  2. kindred spirits. Your struggles are my struggles too.

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  3. "It's not that I don't care about people who don't know Jesus, though I do seem to be more concerned about meeting material needs than spiritual ones (like a mentioned in this post.)"

    Yup, me too! Seems like there are many of us gulping this week!

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  4. Like father, like daughter. Radio...no problem. Standing in front of an audience...no problem. Face to face...gulp.

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  5. actually i don't think you're so awful at all. i love my husband dearly, yet feel the same way. he doesn't deserve God's love! then again neither do any of us...

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  6. Thank you for being so honest. Just ask God to give you faith that out of the 20 or so that are not at all interested in giving their lives over to Jesus, there will always be that one who IS ready to hear the good news! Do it for that person!

    I have been convicted about this lately as well. I was reading 1 Corinthians in my devotions this weekend about how we are God's ambassadors and we are to "implore" others to be reconciled to God. Implore means to "beg urgently." It's not being bashful and or holding up a plate of several dessert options and saying, "Well, Jesus is my personal favorite, but you can pick whatever one you want." Jesus IS the answer to their darkness! And I get caught up in so many distractions and worldly desires that when God brings me opportunities, I'm not even aware of them. Shame on me. May we not spend all our time hitting ourselves over the head, but make it a priority to share Christ with at least one person this week.

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