We were walking down the center of the mall and noticed a gentleman sitting on a bench, looking trapped by the two men towering over him, papers in hand obviously "discipling". My daughter was the first to notice and told me that she was upset by this and felt sorry for the poor man on the bench. We both felt this was no way to speak the love of Christ. As we passed by we both felt a sense of frustration. How do we save this poor guy from what we perceived as being guilted into salvation? We didn't stop we just kept walking.
We did a little shopping and went back through the mall the same route we took just a few minutes before. This time there were two young women on the same bench sitting down, looking like they had absolutely no interest in what they were hearing. Two men towered over them, not giving them any room to get away even if they wanted to. This time we were both appalled by their behavior.
We walked a hundred yards or so talking about whether or not we should go back and put a stop to this. This is NOT the love of Jesus shining through. We talked about it and decided to turn back. We were going to be their much needed saviors. I thought about stopping to get a cape but that would just take too much time. Besides there are no more super hero dressing rooms, aka phone booths.
On the way back my daughter looked at me, happy that I was going to do something about this. Then a scripture I had just spoken about in church on Sunday spoke to my heart.
"And he said to me, 'Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you. Go now to your country men in exile and speak to them. Say to them 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says, whether they listen or fail to listen"
Ezekiel 3:10-11
Although I continued to walk towards the bench with my daughter looking at me like "go get 'em Mom" and saying to me, "This is going to be awesome." I had to pause and tell her that I wanted to hear what the young men had to say because God said to tell people whether they listen or not. If these young men believe God is telling them to do this, then who are we to get in the way?
But still pride drove me. I stood behind these disciples' back and asked the girls if they needed help to "get away". They said the were fine but I wasn't so convinced. My daughter and I took up residence on the bench behind them. We could hear everything that was being said but our backs were to them. The girls had absolutely no interest in salvation, did not understand the concept of grace or repentance and in my mind these young men were not teaching them correctly. (Oh how pride can be so hurtful.) We left without saying a word and I have no idea whatever happened with the two girls. I do pray that a seed was planted.
Last Sunday we broke our corporate fast and I am ashamed to say I have not spent any time in the Word since then. Until this morning. I wasn't sure where to go or what to read, nothing really jumped out at me. I closed my bible and sat for a minute or two listening to worship. While trying to clear my thoughts and just listen, the thought of those young men discipling at the mall came to mind. I opened my bible and landed on Philippians 1:15-18.
"It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice."
Paul said it perfectly, "What does it matter?" It is like there is no such thing as bad publicity. Declare His name, share His love and victory, it really doesn't matter how we say it, how we do it, it matters THAT we do it. God will use this for His glory even if our selfish pride and ambition get in our own way. Even more than that in Ezekiel God told us to spread the Word:
"When I say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die' and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself."
Ezekiel 3:18-19
This morning I was convicted and freed.
I was convicted for my pride. God is so good he used my hand to open His Word to just the right lesson. This is the God I know, a gracious teacher.
There is much freedom in knowing that the important thing is sharing. It was more important for those young men to speak about Christ no matter what their true motives were than to sit idly by and do nothing. (By the way, I am not trying to decipher their motives nor would I. God knows their hearts.) I have always held back because I don't know that what I have to say will make sense, or that I what I have to say isn't as important as what someone else has to say. I may not know my scripture like the back of my hand and I need to know it all so I can have answers. Truth is truth is truth and anything keeping me from speaking truth is pride. It is freeing to understand that it does not matter if anyone listens, what matters is that when God feeds you his words, speak them.
I do not want my selfish pride to get in the way. God is very clear, if I make Him about me, about how I look, my treasures will be left here when I go home.
Thank you God for the gifts of a soft heart and a strong head so I can speak your truth. You have given me the path to follow so that my treasures will be waiting for me in heaven when my groom takes me home. In the glorious, mighty name of Jesus, AMEN!
Wow excellent
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