'God does not always guide us with messages sent before we make a decision. He expects us to make decisions, and to step out on the basis of faith to do what looks like the right thing, and to change our minds only if we are impressed by the Spirit or by the Lord that a decision is wrong'
-Ray Stedman
I was waiting at a bus stop the other day in Birmingham City Centre. Off the bus jumps a smiley young guy, no older than me. After thanking the driver he came into our bus shelter. 'God loves you' he said. After a satisfactory response from one person, he turned to the next until one lady looked away from him and didn't respond. His facial expression suddenly switched and he suddenly became serious. He began to say in a loud voice to everyone in the shelter 'God loves you' but he wasn't smiling anymore. Then he began to preach the gospel. It was an amazing sight. Also a very discouraging one to the Christians looking on.
One Christian lady just looked at the ground. The lady who caused the onslaught seemed to be praying for the bus to come asap. I was just taking in all that I was seeing and thoughts were running through my mind. I can't stop him but I don't know what to do. So I waited. After the bus came and everyone rushed on, I intentionally missed it to talk to him. We talked for a while about the importance of being genuine, connecting with people, letting the gospel go deeper in (to ourselves), and not just preaching to people but speaking to people.
Why was I so bothered? Why didn't I just jump on when everyone else did?
Because I'd made the same mistake in the past. I used to be that guy who would switch facial expressions when I'd say 'God loves you' and get it thrown back in my face. I used to be that person convinced that if someone ignored me, I had to drive the gospel into them, for fear of either them being eternally separated from God or me being left with blood on my hands.
I was the person who had to learn that the gospel is more than words, and has to touch my heart before it touches anyone elses. I was the person who had to learn how to love. I still am that person learning to love....
It's good to realise that we have made, and are susceptible to making a lot more mistakes. If we don't, chances are we'll never be able to touch the heart of another person who is just as human, and just as fallible as we are.
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Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?- Matthew 7:3
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