Someone asked why I often use the word “invite” when I talk about how Jesus brought people around him.
For example, Jesus “invites” us to serve kids rescued from human trafficking.
The point of the question, I think, was that for followers of Jesus things like serving orphans really aren’t optional. And that’s true. Jesus was clear – following Him involves a certain set of sacrificial actions and attitudes to which we should aspire.
So why use the term invite?
A couple of reasons. First, I hope I’m writing for a broad audience that includes folks who might not have decided about Jesus. I’ve no right to impose my beliefs on those people. I believe Jesus opens doors to opportunity for them.
Second, and perhaps more important, I don’t believe Jesus operates on the basis of coercion. He’s not interested in power and control.
Jesus could have forced his disciples into some sort of crash course in theology. Instead, he walked with them patiently for three years, developing trust and friendship along the way. The gospels do not reveal a demanding teacher rapping students on the knuckles when they made mistakes.
I don’t present Jesus connected to coercion because that’s not how I’ve encountered Him. He’s helped me understand, over the long term, that following Him isn’t about obeying rules. It’s about seeking to be more like Him, not because I fear the consequences but because I understand I was created in His image.
The more I follow Him, the more I find peace and rest.
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That’s why I hope we always present the FREEDOM TOUR as an opportunity. We don’t want people to join us because they feel guilty or because they’re angry. We hope people join us because we’re a community of people having a lot of fun and pursuing an important cause.
Even though human trafficking is a horrible, dark evil, we believe in hope, and we believe there’s a great deal of peace to be found in doing our best to communicate that hope…and trusting Jesus for the outcome.