Respect

The Bible says, ‘Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.’ Two ways to get an egg out of an eggshell are to 1) crack it open, or 2) put it in a warm, sage environment and allow it to incubate and hatch. The second way preserves the chick, while the first destroys it. Similarly, two ways to get the good news of the gospel across to people are to 1) hammer it into them, or 2) love them into God’s family. Have you ever noticed that some people do evangelism as a series of thinly-veiled insults? The Message you come away with is, ‘You need what I have because you’re so awful.’ People do need the good news, but the way we present it can prevent them from receiving it. We should respect unbelievers; we mustn’t make them feel humiliated. That’s not God’s way, and it shouldn’t be ours. Respecting means accepting them. That doesn’t mean we have to approve of everything they do. Acceptance and approval are different. But everybody has the right to be treated in a respectful way. The best way to share the gospel with unbelievers is to surround them with love and acceptance as we share it with them. Be respectful, sensitive, and caring. Theologian D.T. Niles said, ‘Evangelism is just one beggar telling another where to find bread.’ Share God’s Word! We do the sharing, and God will do the saving. Once we sow the seed of God’s Word into someone’s heart, we can trust God to do His part.