Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.”
Colossians 4:5-6 NLT As followers of Christ we must use wisdom in dealing with unbelievers. We cannot act like a steam roller or bulldozer. We must use discernment and discretion. We cannot throw around religious jargon or spiritual cliches and expect the non-believer to understand, appreciate, or accept our proclamations. We must first live a life that underscores our profession. People see more than they hear. Hypocrisy can be spotted a mile away. Don't be obnoxious either. No one likes a "know it all" or a "loud mouth". “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” Ephesians 4:29 NLT Showing our genuine love for people will go farther than anything. “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”” John 13:34-35 NLT. People don't care what we know until they know we care. We don't have to win the argument but we must win the soul. Being right can be overrated. Yes, it is important to be doctrinally sound but it is also important to know how to speak with the wisdom of God in any situation. A great example of this is John chapter 4 where Jesus goes to Samaria and encounters a woman at a well that had been married five times and was now living with a man. He didn't scold her for her tainted past and immoral present. He simply used water as a point of conversation and utilized it as an opportunity to speak truth to her spirit. The conclusion of it was this: she believed on Him and went back into town, shared her encounter with Jesus with the whole city, and brought them out to meet Him. The twelve disciples didn't want to stay around since they weren't "supposed" to go through Samaria. It was an "unacceptable" place to be, according to Jews. They despised Samaritans. Jesus loved them. In one simple encounter with a woman at a well, Jesus changed the life of a dysfunctional person and changed the direction of a culture and city. May God help us to do the same. May He grant us supernatural wisdom, knowledge, and discernment as we encounter various scenarios along this road of life. Remember: it's more important to win the soul than to win the argument. Speak under the influence of the Holy Spirit. He knows what needs to be said and what doesn't. Use your words wisely. “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” Proverbs 25:11 KJV
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March 2020
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