April 14, 2009
Unbelief
My sister is not a believer, at least not a confessed believer. She has been unable to live on her own for the last year and a half, so she is living with my family. You’ll be pleased to know that I have yet to thump her with my Bible. Although at one time she considered herself agnostic, she does bow with us at meals when we say grace and is privy to our everyday faith-talk. Occasionally she’ll mention having said a prayer about a situation or for an acquaintance. She knows she’s welcome to attend church with us, however the closest she’s come to the front door is to ask how many people we’ve had in worship each week. Christianity doesn’t happen by osmosis, but we do have a way of influencing others. Referring to marriage between a believer and an unbeliever, Paul says that if the unbeliever wants to leave, let him (or her) leave. However, his postscript implies that you don’t ask them to leave, “How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?” (I Cor 7:16 NIV) Even though we want to see people saved, there can be some encouragement in just seeing a little Christianity rubbing off on friends and loved ones.
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1 comment:
Gail;
-----I am glad to read sentiments similar to mine. I always would like to just come straight out and tell someone, “You need to accept what Jesus Christ said, and you need to call out to Him for salvation now.” But the terminology has become jaded, and the public has been conned into a calloused attitude towards the very topic. Respect for your listener requires an approach more directed towards her areas of interest and curiosity with a message more subtle and diplomatic than punctuated and to the point. It is a bit frustrating when time is of the essence. Unbelief’s negative sensitivity to the light increases with acclimation to the deepening darkness around us, and the darkness is increasing fast. So we need to develop all the more sensitivity for where people’s attention is, more skill in shining the gospel light there softly, and more ambition to seek welcome engagement.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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