For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners. (Matthew 9:13)
Read: Genesis 26:17-27:46, Matthew 9:1-17, Psalm 10:16-18, Proverbs 3:9-10
Relate: “You’re a lying, thieving, cheating, murderous adulterer.” Did anyone ever tell you this? If they did, how open do you think you would be to want to listen to anything more that jerk would have to say? Believe it or not, there is a method of evangelism out there that leads to the point where the “evangelist” is saying this exact thing to their “mark”. The saddest thing about it is that they call this evangelism approach “The Way of the Master”. Garbage. Hogwash. Telling someone how pitiful, filthy, and wretched they are is not evangelism, it is schadenfreude.
The true way of the Master is to touch the leper. The true way of the Master is to befriend and share a meal with the cheating rich scoundrel who has no friends. “Come down out of that tree. Let’s do lunch.” The way of the Master is to go to the party thrown by an IRS agent and populated by prostitutes. The way of the Master is to shame the accusers away and then say to the adulteress, “I don’t condemn you. Now go and sin no more.” The way of the Master is not to browbeat someone into repentance but to embrace them with love until they begin to embrace the Master right back.
React: I say this but some who have been reading me for a while might be thinking, “Wait a minute. When the daily reading was all about the Ten Commandments, you jumped all over how you have messed up on each and every one of them.” That’s right, I have. That is the whole point.
If I were to sit down with someone who does not yet know Christ I would gladly walk with them how I have fallen and failed over and over again. Then I would share how God knew I would do this. He saw each one of my acts of rebellion against Him. Then He showed His love for me by dying on that cross anyways. I am horrible sinner. He is beautiful Savior. If the person I am sharing this with were to be thinking, “Wow, this guy is really messed up.” They are not yet ready for the gospel. If they instead think, “You know what? I’m just as bad as this guy is. Worse even.” That person is ready. The Holy Spirit is pursuing them and it is never my place to try and do His work by browbeating someone into the Kingdom. Jesus did not come to call those that think they are righteous but rather those who know they are sinners. All too often we flip it. We keep trying to puff ourselves up as righteous by trying to convince others of how sinful they are.
Respond:
Dear God,
I am so grateful for Your grace. Although I am so undeserving You lavished it on me. I am so thankful for Your love. Although I am so unlovable, You still thought I was to die for. All too often I allow the grace and love You have poured on me to get to my head. I begin to get this delusion that somehow I earned it. No. Keep me humble, Lord. Help me to be so grateful for what You have done that I cannot but share the true gospel, My poverty and Your greatness with everyone I meet.
Amen
THE RIVER WALK 
You have no idea how much I loved reading this. 🙂 Very, very much!! Wonderful post!
Absolutely right, People in the world know they are messed up. I was one of them. I ran from Christian people- who would try and beat me up with words.One day I was so weary of life- that I managed to obtain some worship music. I would play it alone- and then one winter’s evening I gave my life to Jesus. He met me where I was. I thank God for your blog- your honesty and true love for others. Keep sharing what you know to be true- the world will come to Christ through you. Thank you.
Reblogged this on ChristianBlessings and commented:
We must not take the high road and say we are better than another in our evangelistic efforts – after all, we are not to think ourselves more highly than others because we are not!
I’m back! I’ve missed your posts! What a great on to start back on. Loved my new word for the day: schadenfreude!
Great points and I do enjoy Laura!
Welcome back 🙂
Great way to put it. We do need to stop pointing the finger, and extend the hand and allow God to love on them, through us!
This just resonates in my mind. thank you!
To put it in Casting Crowns words , “if we are His body”
“He payed too much a higher price for we to pick and choose who to come”
Thank you so much for this reminder of who I am.
Several years ago, when a member of another Body of Believers, I went on a mission trip with a small team to a Central American country and I couldn’t believe how accusatory some of these guys were when they would walk up to a poor unsuspecting soul and see a picture of the mother of Jesus hanging on the wall of their one room home and say that that was idolotry – they should repent right now. I was horrified. It was on many accounts, the most odd and uncomfortable mission trip I have ever been on. Yes, walking with the unsaved where they are is much better than pointing the finger. The finger should be pointed to me. Great post. God bless you today!
There’s a great piece of folk wisdom which an old man shared with me years ago, “When you’re pointing your finger at someone, there are 3 fingers pointing back at you.” From the recovery rooms of AA comes this: Be careful with your “I nevers” because that list grows shorter and shorter every day of my life. Finally, “Been there, done that.” Great post, thanks.
This. All I can say is Amen.
This is so true!
I love this not just because we are linked to a LOVE-based evangelism organization (accelerants.org) but because it is 100% truth. Jesus didn’t demonstrate shaming or condemnation; He showed a love that wasnt intimidated or distracted by the condition of the person. Our job is to demonstrate HIS characteristics everywhere we go and point the Lost to the ONE they’re searching for. Thanks for posting!