I don’t know about you, but Jesus won my heart, not by force but by fascination.
Note to self. Do what Jesus did!
Healing people is always a better gospeling technique than hurting them. Peter showed what he could do with a sword and Jesus showed what he could do with a touch. Definitely an improved method of outreach!
Jesus’ “enemy love” is always a better apologetic than the sword-swinging aggression of Peter. Compassionate service wields a power to affect people in ways that argumentative tactics never can. Jesus delayed his arrest to heal an enemy and later put a pause on dying in order to welcome a thief into his kingdom! That’s how God makes friends.
This same spirit of selflessness marks authentic Good News-tellers. It’s less about defending Jesus with a weaponized Bible than demonstrating him with the power of love.
– Originally published in Reaching Rahab: Joining God In His Quest For Friends
barney wiget 