“I’ve always admired atheists. It takes a lot of faith.” ~ Chris in “Northern Exposure”
When I published Relentless Grace, a marketing expert advised me not to place so many references to God on the cover. “You’re going to lose a lot of sales if they think it’s all about God.” I recall wondering about the proposed strategy of tricking people into buying a book about God.I’ve been thinking about that notion. One of my guiding principles is to take notice when the same issue appears in different contexts. I tend to be a little slow, but eventually I get the idea that God may be trying to get my attention.
A good friend looked at the book recently and asked a surprising question: “Why are Christians always shouting at others about religion?”
I didn’t want, or need, to defend my book cover. It’s an honest representation of the contents, and my buddy’s free to buy it or put it down. But I wondered about his reaction. Do we tend to shout at non-believers about Jesus?
I hope not. If we do, it’s not only rude and disrespectful but also clearly counter-productive because it’s polarizing and divisive. We cannot debate, argue, or intimidate others into a relationship with Christ. If we wield a big enough stick we may coerce compliant behavior, but that’s not the goal. Jesus isn’t about coercion and He’s certainly not about hypocritical behavior that doesn’t reflect sincere faith.
My friend didn’t buy the book, passing up a golden opportunity to get an autographed early edition of a future mega-bestseller. His loss, but we’re still friends. We don’t have to agree, but that doesn’t mean we have to disagree. And it certainly doesn’t mean we have to be disagreeable.
Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. (2 Timothy 2:23)
The only folks Jesus really confronted were the pious, self-righteous religious “experts” who judged others by standards they couldn’t meet. They spouted their religion publicly but lacked an authentic relationship with God.
I hope my relationship with Jesus shows clearly and quietly through my actions.
Question: How do you avoid arguing with others about God?
Please leave a comment, visit my website, and/or send me an email at rich@richdixon.net.