Death of a Salesman
You, LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.” ~ Psalm 18:28
When sailors are lost at sea, it’s the light from the moon that guides them, or it’s the light from the shore that brings them home. When hikers are lost in caves, or when firemen are trapped in rubble, it’s always the light that guides them to freedom. People are drawn to light. In fact, my brand new baby boy could care less about toys and cartoons and things that rattle, but there is just something about the light that he is drawn to.
Jesus was a light people were drawn to as well, the bible records disciples (Matthew 4) and large crowds (Matthew 8, 12, 19) following him everywhere. At the beginning of the early church (Acts 2), the bible records that three thousand people came to Christ.
But what about today? What has happened to that light? Is it still lit? Are lost people still looking to be rescued? More and more, we see generations who find Church irrelevant and boring; where it was the norm to take time out of your week to be involved in church, now it seems church is becoming an after-thought (or an after-after-thought). Typically this spurns people to begin to talk about ‘evangelism.’ The church comes up with strategies, theories and templates in the hope of drawing people to church….hoping to draw people into the light. But what is the best way? Is there a best way? Jesus told us to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28) but did he tell us how?
When I was a kid watching Saturday morning cartoons, I saw dozens of Cal Worthington commercials. He was the Texas used car tycoon dressed in Roy Rogers western wear and he was always accompanied by an animal from the zoo. I used to think that man would probably do anything to sell you a car, every Saturday there was he was trying some new promotion or gimmick. But when I grew up, I didn’t buy a car from him. He never won me over as a customer.
Is that how I think of evangelism? That I need to “sell” God to others? Is that the example that Christ gives us in the scriptures? Jesus made it clear that people can’t come to him unless the Father draws them to him (John 6:44, 65). Jesus understood that light is not drawn to people—people are drawn to light. Through his ministry, Jesus set out plain truths in his preaching, cared for the poor and the marginalized, and healed the sick. If we used Jesus as our model for evangelism—then we can’t deny the power that comes from reaching out in compassion, love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and kindness. If we used that model, do we think it would change some people’s ideas about the church? Do we think our light would burn a little brighter?
The good news is my light is Christ—it is Him in me that people are drawn to. I will never win anyone to Christ, I will never convince or convert anyone. Jesus didn’t say “be a salesman” he said “be a light.” Oh Lord, keep my lamp burning...
