How do I behave with and toward unbelievers? Do I live my faith in Jesus Christ out loud? Do I love them as God loves them... especially when they are so cruel to me?
Am I truly concerned about their salvation? Do I act like them so they see no difference between my life and theirs? Or do I snub them, acting as if I am better?
My conduct and speech before an unbeliever is vitally important. Do I share my faith using hugs or headlocks? Honey or a hammer?
No matter what approach to evangelism is used, emphasizing life-style, example, or building relationships, I should never obscure the message of Gospel. No matter how much sense the message makes, I lose my effectiveness if I am not courteous. Just as much as I want to be respected, I must respect others if I want them to listen to what I have to say. "Seasoned with salt" means my words must be 'tasty' to encourage further dialogue. This has been a difficult lesson for me. I can throw buckets of water on the Holy Spirit when the acidity of my words or actions can literarily melt people. As a Christian, I become the hinderance to unbelievers knowing Christ. It is the graciousness of Holy Spirit filled words and actions that can allow seeds to be planted and watered, relationships to grow and Christ to be known.
God provides numerous daily opportunities for me to share Christ. I need to make the most of these times by living in constant awareness of Him in me.
The Colossians church faced pressures from a heresy that promised deeper spiritual life through secret knowledge. The false teachers were destroying faith in Christ by undermining Christ's humanity and divinity. Paul makes it clear in Colossians that Christ is the source of our spiritual life, the Head of the body of believers. Christ is the Lord of both the physical and spiritual worlds. The path to deeper spiritual life is not through religious duties, special knowledge or secrets: it is only through a clear connection with the Lord Jesus Christ. I must never let anything come between me and my Savior so even the most cruelest see Christ. That is living out loud.
"The love for equals is a human thing - of friend for friend, brother for brother. It is love what is loving and lovely.
The world smiles.
The love for less fortunate is a beautiful thing - the love for those who suffer, for those who are poor, the sick, the failures, the unlovely. This is compassion, and it touches the heart of the world.
The love for the more fortunate is a rare thing - to love those who succeed where we fail, to rejoice without envy with those who rejoice, the love of the poor for the rich, of black man for the white man. the world is always bewildered by its saints.
And then there is the love for the enemy - love for the one who does not love you but mocks, threatens, and inflicts pain. The tortured's love for the torturer. This is God's love. It conquers the world."
From The Magnificent Defeat by Fredrick Buechner
"My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Gal 2:20
"Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory". Col 3:1-4
