Light or Heat

A Mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, 5-year-old Kevin and 3-year-old Ryan. The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. Their mother saw an opportunity for a moral lesson.  She said, "If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, 

'Let my brother have the first pancake, I can wait.'  Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, "Ryan, you be Jesus!"

Whether you are Kevin or Ryan in this story, one thing will always be true.  Someone needs to be Jesus! The world has grown quite acquainted with the fallen version of humanity—the first Adam, to use a theological concept. What they desperately need to meet is the last Adam, Jesus, to hear what he has to say, and experience His supernatural love.

The apostle Paul describes him like this in 1 Corinthians 15: The first man, Adam, 

became a living person. But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit.  

And just what did this “last Adam” have to say to us who represent him? Among other things, this:

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”  Matthew 5:14-16

If we are to be candles for Christ in this increasingly darkening culture, I would propose our witness be characterized more by light than heat.  Said another way, I believe those seeking an encounter with the divine are more likely to be drawn to Jesus by a loving, Christ-like example than through the friction of a heated argument, in which we seek to defend Him. This is not an original idea.  Consider a few quotes:

"My position is that I write songs, I'm in a band and I just hope that when it's all over for U2, that in some way we made the light a bit brighter. Maybe just tear off a corner of the darkness."   - Bono

“It is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.”   - Joseph Conrad

"To be a witness does not consist in engaging in propaganda, nor even in stirring people up, but in being a living mystery. It means to live in such a way that one's life would not make sense if God did not exist.”  - Madeleine L'Engle

“Being salt and light demands two things: we practice purity in the midst of a fallen world and yet we live in proximity to this fallen world. If you don't hold up both truths in tension, you invariably become useless and separated from the world God loves.” - David Kinnaman

And finally, from the famous theologian Charles Schulz:

Jesus approach to converting people from one ideology to another was not through confrontation or coercion, but by being compelling, and this was mainly achieved by radical, inexplicable love.  Sure, he put the religious super-saints in their place repeatedly, even befuddled a rich young ruler…because he saw their hearts.  He knew they had no intention of changing their point of view and following him.  But until you and I are supernaturally gifted to see inside a person to discern their true motivations, 

much less destinations, we probably would do best to err on the side of humbly seeking to listen to, love and serve those outside the faith who are inside our reach.  Not saying we should never challenge, enlighten, or even correct.  But like the original Light of the World, let’s lead with building a relationship first, and saving the heat for the appointed, appropriate time. My guess is that effective listening beats a swinging lunchbox every time.

tad