WHAT IS THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORDS: RUDE, CRASS, DISRESPECTFUL, HATEFUL, MEAN, INSENSITIVE, AND OFFENSIVE?
YOU MIGHT THINK THEY COME FROM AN ACT OF A “STAND UP COMEDIAN” OR POSSIBLY THE DIALOG FROM AN “R” RATED MOVIE. WOULD YOU BE SURPRISED IF I SAID THAT THEY COULD BE SOME OF THE WORDS UNSAVED PEOPLE HAVE USED TO DESCRIBE THE ENCOUNTERS THEY’VE HAD WITH SOME OVER-ZEALOUS CHRISTIANS?
DEPSITE ALL THE GREATEST INTENTIONS IN THE WORLD, IT IS STILL POSSIBLE TO TAKE SOMETHING THAT IS AS POWERFUL AND AS EXCITING AS THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST AND MAKE IT TOTALLY OFFENSIVE AND DISTURBING.
THERE HAVE BEEN QUITE A FEW INSTANCES WHERE GOOD, CHRISTIAN PEOPLE HAVE TOTALLY RUINED THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THE GOSPEL MESSAGE SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THEIR TIMING, DELIVERY AND PRESENTATION.
THE CONTENT AND THE TRUTH OF THE MESSAGE CAN BE 100% ACCURATE, BUT IF IT IS DELIVERED 100% OFFENSIVE, THEN THE MESSAGE IS DISTORTED AND SADLY, EITHER MISSED OR REJECTED.
THAT IS WHY IT IS SO CRITICAL FOR THE BELIEVER IN CHRIST TO KEEP BOTH THE DELIVERY AND MESSAGE IN COMPLETE HARMONY. EVERYTHING ABOUT OUR MESSAGE MUST BE SYNCHRONIZED SUCH AS BODY LANGUAGE AND TONE OF VOICE.
WHEN IT COMES TO COMMUNICATION, WE FIND THAT ONLY 7% OF COMMUNICATION IS THE CONTENT WHERE AS 38% IS THE TONE OF VOICE USED. A WHOPPING 55% OF COMMUNICATION IS THE NONVERBALS SUCH AS BODY LANGUAGE AND FACIAL EXPRESSIONS.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO COMPASSIONATELY BLEND BOTH CONTENT AND DELIVERY OF THE GOSPEL MESSAGE. WE MUST EXHIBIT THE APPORPRIATE VOLUME AND AN UNCONDITIONAL AMOUNT OF LOVE AND RESPECT FOR THOSE WE ADDRESS.
WHEN IT COMES TO BEARING WITNESS FOR OUR SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, IT IS IMPERITIVE THAT WE WATCH NOT ONLY “WHAT” WE SAY, BUT “HOW” WE SAY IT.
OUR PASSAGE TODAY PERFECTLY OUTLINES OUR WITNESSING APPROACH TOWARDS THE UNSAVED. 1 PETER 3:15, “…DO THIS WITH GENTLENESS AND RESPECT….”
GENTLENESS COMES FROM THE GREEK NOUN THAT CAN BE TRANSLATED “NOT PUSHY, NOT SELFISHLY ASSERTIVE,” OR “NOT INSISTENT ON ONE’S OWN RIGHTS, NOT DEMANDING ONE’S OWN WAY.”
BEING AN EFFECTIVE WITNESS FOR JESUS CHRIST WAS NEVER INTENDED TO BE A COMPETITIVE STRATEGY IN HOPES OF WINNING AN ARGUMENT OR DEBATE.
THE GOSPEL SHOULD NEVER BE LINKED WITH ARGUMENTS OR BELLIGERENCE. GENTLENESS IS THE QUALITY THAT TRUSTS GOD TO DO THE WORK OF CHANGING ATTITUDES. 2 TIMOTHY 2: 24-25, “THE LORD’S SERVANTS MUST NOT QUARREL BUT MUST BE KIND TO EVERYONE. THEY MUST BE ABLE TO TEACH EFFECTIVELY AND BE PATIENT WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE. THEY SHOULD GENTLY TEACH THOSE WHO OPPOSE THE TRUTH. PERHAPS GOD WILL CHANGE THOSE PEOPLE’S HEARTS, AND THEY WILL BELIEVE THE TRUTH.”
WHEN WE ARE BEING OPPOSED FOR OUR FAITHFULNESS AND FACING ADVERSITY AND HOSTILITY FOR OUR CHRISTIAN STANCE, WE MUST RESIST THE URGE TO USE BITTER LANGUAGE OR ANY FORM OF RETALIATORY SPEECH. YOU WILL ALWAYS LOSE WITH AGGRESSIVENESS AND ARROGANCE.
PSALM 15:1, “A GENTLE ANSWER TURNS AWAY WRATH, BUT A HARSH WORD STIRS UP ANGER.” COLOSIANS 4:6, “LET YOUR CONVERSATION BE GRACIOUS AND EFFECTIVE SO THAT YOU WILL HAVE THE RIGHT ANSWER FOR EVERYONE. GENTLESNESS WILL WIN OUT EVERY SINGLE TIME.
ALONG WITH GENTLENESS COMES THE ATTRIBUTE OF “RESPECT.” THIS IS A VERY PECULIAR WORD AS IT COMES FROM THE GREEK WORD “PHOBOS” (FAH-BOS) WHICH MEANS “FEAR.”
WHAT MAKES THIS “FEAR” PECULIAR IS THAT IS MAY BE DEFINED AS “TO BE ALARMED,” “TO BE FRIGHTENED” OR “TO BE AFRAID,” PETER’S USE HERE MEANS QUITE THE OPPOSITE IN TERMS OF STANDING GRACIOUSLY TO THOSE WHO OPPOSE THE TRUTH.
IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT I THINK PETER MEANS HERE IS THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID OR FEARFUL IN THE FACE OF SLANDER, PERSECUTION, AND HOSTILITY.
OUR “FEAR” IS AN OBEDIENT, WORSHIPFUL, AND OVER-POWERING REVERANCE FOR ALMIGHTY GOD THAT WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE AND DUTY TO WITNESS NOT ONLY WITH NEWFOUND BOLDNESS IN OUR FAITH, BUT WITH RESPECT AND HUMILTY TOWARDS THE MESSAGE THAT CHRIST ENTRUSTED TO US.
PETER KNEW EXACTLY WHAT IT MEANT TO FAIL UNDER THE WEIGHT OF FEAR. JUST AFTER THE FRIGHTENING SCENE IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE, PETER LOSES IT. MATTHEW 26:74, THEN HE BEGAN TO CALL DOWN CURSES ON HIMSELF AND HE SWORE TO THEM, "I DON’T KNOW THE MAN!" IMMEDIATELY A ROOSTER CROWED.
PETER DENIED CHRIST OUT OF FEAR IN WORDS THAT WERE NEITHER GENTLE NOR RESPECTFUL. NO WONDER HE WAS SO ADAMENT ABOUT BEING A GENTLE AND RESPECTFUL WITNESS BECAUSE HE HAD REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCES OF UTTER FAILURE.
WE MUST NOT FAIL IN OUR WITNESS EITHER. IN ALL THINGS, AT ALL TIMES AND IN EVERY SITUATION, WE MUST BE A GENTLE AND RESPECTFUL AMBASSIDOR FOR OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
WHEN CONFRONTED OR CHALLENGED IN YOUR WITNESSING AND SHARING OF YOUR FAITH, THE GREATEST THING TO REMEMBER IS TO NEVER ARGUE. REMEMBER, YOUR MISSION IS TO PROCLAIM THE GOOD NEWS, NOT TO WIN THE ARGUMENT.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT NO MATTER HOW HOSTILE, DEFENSIVE, OR OFFENSIVE THE PERSON BECOMES TOWARDS YOU, JUST LET THE AGAPE, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE OF CHRIST SATURATE YOUR WORDS, YOUR TONE OF VOICE, AND YOUR FACIAL EXPRESSIONS.
SIMPLY ANSWER QUESTIONS AS BEST YOU CAN BUT NEVER START OR GET INTO AN ARGUMENT OR TRY TO DEFENSIVELY “FIRE BACK” WITH STATEMENTS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW AS FACT. THE BEST THING TO DO IS “AGREE TO DISAGREE.”
THE SECOND THING TO REMEMBER WHEN CONFRONTED OR CHALLENGED IN YOUR WITNESSING AND SHARING YOUR FAITH IS TO REMEMBER WHAT GOD HAS COMMISSIONED YOU TO DO.
OUR COMMISSION FROM JESUS IN MATTHEW 28:19, SAYS, “…GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND TEACHING THEM TO OBEY EVERTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU….”
OUR TASK IS TO PROCLAIM GOD’S WORD. IT IS GOD’S TASK TO CONVERT THEM. WILL EVERYONE ACCEPT THE GOOD NEWS? NO. BUT WE SHOULD STRIVE TO REACH OUT TO EVERYONE AS IF THEY WOULD. IN OTHER WORDS, WE TAKE THE INITIATIVE AS IF THE PERSON WANTS TO HEAR THE GOSPEL. CHANCES ARE THEY DO.
ADDRESS THEM POLITELY AND ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS CALMLY, TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY. GIVE THE PERSON AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND AND LISTEN CLOSELY TO NOT ONLY WHAT THEY SAY, BUT HOW THEY SAY IT.
IF THE RESPONSE IS POSITIVE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD THAT PERSON TO JESUS CHRIST. IF THE RESPONSE IS NEGATIVE DON’T EVER LOSE HEART. YOU HAVE NOT LOST, BUT MERELY PLANTED A SEED THAT YOU CAN ENTRUST WITH GOD FOR ITS GERMINATION TOWARDS THEIR SPIRITUAL VICTORY!
IF I COULD SUM IT ALL UP, I WOULD SAY IT IN THE WORDS OF DR. BILL BRIGHT, FOUNDER OF “CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST,” WHEN HE SAID, “SUCCESSFUL WITNESSING IS SIMPLY TAKING THE INITIATIVE TO SHARE CHRIST IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND LEAVING THE RESULTS TO GOD .”
I LEAVE YOU WITH A FEW QUESTIONS TO PONDER FOUND IN ROMANS 10:14, “BUT HOW CAN THEY CALL ON HIM TO SAVE THEM UNLESS THEY BELIEVE IN HIM? AND HOW CAN THEY BELIEVE IN HIM IF THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD ABOUT HIM? AND HOW CAN THEY HEAR ABOUT HIM UNLESS SOMEONE TELLS THEM?
MAY THE RESPONSE OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH BE THE SAME ONE FROM US TODAY! WHEN ASKED “WHOM SHALL I SEND? AND WHO WILL GO FO US?” ISAIAH BOLDY STEPPED FORWARD AND ANSWERED, “HERE AM I. SEND ME!” (ISAIAH 6:8) BE A WITNESS! BE A GOOD AND FAITHFUL WITNESS. BE A RESPECTFUL WITNESS TO GOD’S GLORY.
