But do this with gentleness and respect…
Summary: When we share our story of knowing God with others, we need to do it in a way that communicates both with the mind and the heart. Gentleness and respect both speak to the heart.
Over the last two hundred years, communication has transformed the nature of human society and culture. Imagine the only way to send a message being by courier. Imagine having to wait for hours, days, or months for an answer. Today we can communicate with one person or thousands instantly, anywhere.
The speed of communication is not the only thing that has changed. Civility that was once taken for granted is now often a sad relic of a bygone era. It is a strange thing to see harsh or angry words written to you by someone you thought was a friend. Someone who, when you see them in person, is usually very nice.
Today’s social media combines the speed of communication with a kind of social insulation. The insulation protects us from feeling the hurt we cause people when we argue with them or make accusations. Especially when they are made in a public forum. The result seems to be that our inner demons have been unleashed. We write and say things electronically that we would never say to someone in person. Sadly, in some cases, these tactics become so engrained that they do spill over into personal contact.
Even before all of this happened, before technology made confrontation painless, Peter counseled that we should couch our testimony about Jesus in “gentleness and respect.”
Why?
One reason is that our behavior reflects on our God and Savior. Since God has treated us with gentleness and respect, we should do the same to others.
The second reason is the second Great Commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22: 39b) It is hard to be taken seriously as someone who loves their neighbor if we don’t treat our neighbor with love.
It is love, the Godly kind of love, that does most of the communicating. It is love that opens the door to the heart. Interestingly, we have to go through the heart to get to the mind. The keys to the heart are gentleness and respect.
Application: Consider how you share your testimony with others. How much of your message is for the mind and how much is for the heart?
Food for Thought: How do you show respect to someone you don’t agree with?
Listening
Tim,
I hear you! 🙂
I would add some advice that my wife gives me: Listen with a smile! (Sometimes when I forget that my face communicates what I am thinking!)
I agree with Tim. Listen to others and respect them as people created in God’s image. Demonstrate the love that God so lavishes pours upon us.
Thank you for this devotion today. It is excellent and you live what you recommend we do.
Thank you, Rich! Our God is oddly respectful of our tiny wills. It takes getting to know Him to appreciate that. Pretty amazing! 🙂
How do you show respect to someone you don’t agree with?
Looks like the listens have this one.
1 Corinthians 12:4-6, 18 reminds us that God created us all uniquely and works through all of us. Nothing makes one person better than another in God’s eyes so we can show respect to everyone we meet.
A. W. Tozer states that the goal of every Christian should be to “live in a state of unbroken worship.” This is only possible when we walk with God.
I once had a number of Asians working for me and was invited to one of their functions at a private home. I came in went through the introductions and noticed this little man with a shaved head, wrapped in an orange sheet, sitting on a big couch all by himself. Knowing he was a monk, I went to him and asked if I could sit with him, he said yes. For the rest of the afternoon we had a wonderful discussion regarding our faith, ate together and when we parted I was invited to come spend time with him at their monkery anytime. The people at the function later told me we were not supposed to speak with the monks.
Mormons and JW’c come to my door and I always invite them in, offer them something to drink and we sit in our living room. I ask them how they were drawn to their faith and listen to both. Then tell them how I came to know Jesus. They always leave me with their written materials and I go to my computer room, fetch copies of AW Tozer’s Knowledge of the Holy for them. I explain how it is a book about attributes of God with Bible references and we part.
I need to remember God brings us together, respect the person, and ask questions, we may meet a friend when we get to heaven.
Ron,
That is a wonderful story and a great illustration of speaking to a person’s heart!
I have to ask though…
Is the key to a monk’s heart called a “monk key?” 🙂
Hahahaha, I know your teachers still smile when they think of you.
Fresh Baked apple pie from a neighbor.
Thanks for sharing !!!
Jeff your delivery of apple pie , smile & Testimony years ago Hit the spot 🙏🏻
BEN!!
Thanks for checking in! 🙂 It was the Lord who told me you needed a pie! 🙂 And I will tell you what; ever since that day your smile and living testimony have been a joy for me! Blessings, brother!
Yep,..listen here too,..it’s better than the alternative,..you know smacking them upside the head with the Bible,..but then that wouldn’t be very gentle or respectful nor would it allow me share the gospel with them other than with that smack up side the head,..it may sink a couple of words into their skull but may not penetrate to the heart,..
Listening is the key,..my wife tells me that I have selective hearing loss,..I only listen to the things I want to,…that is soo true,..I don’t want to listen to someone who thinks they can get to God on their own without going through Jesus first,..but I have,..that was a weird encounter,..even after listening to the way the person explained the way they get to God without Jesus,..I don’t think the person was talking about the God I know,..because as I have learned there is only one way to the Father and that is through His One and only Son Jesus Christ,..correct me if I am wrong here,..
I do thank you for the smiles that these three minute bible reply’s give me,..especially today’s about the key to a Monk’s heart,..yep put a grin on from ear to ear,..thanks,..much needed!
John,
A smile for a smile! Your comments almost always leave me smiling! 🙂 I am so glad I could share one with you today!
Ben! It is great to hear from you brother. I miss you.