When my wife and I were up in Lexington for the years I was attending seminary, our income was very limited. We were considered poor enough for our children to receive free lunches and health care through the state. I remember one time walking into the county office with my wife to renew are children’s benefits. Maybe the woman behind the desk who saw us was having a bad day, but she was very judgmental towards myself and my wife. My wife and I could tell she had a negative attitude towards us because we were “poor.” In our conversations she told us about a couple other programs we could apply for, however her derogatory attitude was one of “good luck“ getting into it. Nancy and I walked out thinking, the others programs probably don’t even exist.
People do not believe there is a heaven because of they way allot Christians treat them on earth. When Christians are around someone who is "lost," or of a different color, view on gender, social standing, “different look” or even level of spirituality, they are judgmental towards them. So those that are lost think, "There can't be a heaven or they would not have told me bout it." They do not like being around me as it is here on earth. So if there is a place much better than earth, where those there in heaven will to spend eternity together, and they don't like spending this limited time with me on earth, they surely would not tell me about such a place where they would have to be with me forever. The fact that they are telling me about such a place, proves to me it is a lie and that it does not exist.
I have told people who attend my church not to invite people to our church, but first invite them to get together for a cup of coffee, out somewhere of over your house for dinner. Why would you invite someone to your church, and faith, a deep, spiritual, even awkward place to a non-believer to enter, if you won’t first invite them out to dinner. The same applies to our methods of evangelism. Why would a Christian invite someone to spend eternity with them in heaven if they first won’t even invite them for a few hours into their life for a meal? In this time we find ourself in as a nation as we reflect on how we treat people different from us and how we open up real dialogue with others in some way different from us, I believe those in the church need to reflection this as well.
How we treat people matters. People do not care what you know, do not listen to you, unless they know you care. In my story above, as my wife and I were getting ready to leave her office, she asked me what I did for a living. When I told her I was a pastor and going to seminary, her whole attitude changed towards us. She basically choked on her attitude towards us previously and we became her new best friends. When she saw us as members of the body loved by God, it cut through and changed any preconceived attitudes and prejudices she formed against us. When we see everyone as members of the body and loved by God, it changes the way we relate to them, and they receive from us.
My family, I pray today the Holy Spirit reveals any prejudices or attitudes in you that are hindering you from inviting people “into” a relationship with you before you invite them “To” a church gathering or salvation in Christ Jesus. Pray over what may be hindering you from sharing and others believing the Gospel of grace in Christ Jesus you are called to invite others to receive, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!!!
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