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Stretching Three
�Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.�� Luke 10:4-5 NIV
It starts with peace. Even when we try to reach people who are hostile to the Gospel; it starts with peace. I�m learning it doesn�t start with standing against things. It doesn�t start with letting people know what I hate or what God hates. It doesn�t begin with my list of do�s and don�ts. It doesn�t been with a protest. It begins with peace. The opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with people who don�t even know if they want to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ begins with peace.
Recently I was in another city. As I drove down the road to a conference each day I was there, I passed a group of well-meaning believers. They were probably much like people I grew up with. They loved to be with believers. They loved a good hymn. They could probably cook up an awesome potluck! They were most likely very good, honest, God-fearing people. The whole week I passed them, however, I didn�t know this. All I knew was that they had these homemade poster signs telling me what they were against. They even had some signs telling me what God was against. They had words like �HATE� and �HELL� and �EVIL�. Those words were easy to find on the signs.
Missing, at least from my perspective, and probably some of my new unchurched friend�s perspective, were words like �LOVE�, and �HOPE� and �PEACE�. I don�t know, but I suspect if I didn�t know from my personal experience as a believer how good these people probably really are, if I would have thought they had anything I wanted in my life, based on the signs they were holding.
It just made me think�Maybe as believers we have to re-think some of our approaches to people with whom we want to share God�s love.
It starts with peace. Even when we try to reach people who are hostile to the Gospel; it starts with peace. I�m learning it doesn�t start with standing against things. It doesn�t start with letting people know what I hate or what God hates. It doesn�t begin with my list of do�s and don�ts. It doesn�t been with a protest. It begins with peace. The opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with people who don�t even know if they want to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ begins with peace.
Recently I was in another city. As I drove down the road to a conference each day I was there, I passed a group of well-meaning believers. They were probably much like people I grew up with. They loved to be with believers. They loved a good hymn. They could probably cook up an awesome potluck! They were most likely very good, honest, God-fearing people. The whole week I passed them, however, I didn�t know this. All I knew was that they had these homemade poster signs telling me what they were against. They even had some signs telling me what God was against. They had words like �HATE� and �HELL� and �EVIL�. Those words were easy to find on the signs.
Missing, at least from my perspective, and probably some of my new unchurched friend�s perspective, were words like �LOVE�, and �HOPE� and �PEACE�. I don�t know, but I suspect if I didn�t know from my personal experience as a believer how good these people probably really are, if I would have thought they had anything I wanted in my life, based on the signs they were holding.
It just made me think�Maybe as believers we have to re-think some of our approaches to people with whom we want to share God�s love.
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