What is your response to a yelling evangelist?

John 3:17

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Another summer day! I hope you are making some great summer memories and staying in those moments by not thinking too far ahead! Thanks so much for joining me for more of our Weapons of Warfare and Words of Wisdom based on a seemingly lost principle of the Bible, condemnation versus conviction. Grab your coffee and come on in.
Oh, the dangers of a critical spirit and Jesus Himself taught on this when the Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery! Now, the “sin” of adultery has a few “sins” wrapped up in it and these guys, clothed in all their arrogance and pride, couldn’t wait to present this woman to Jesus and have her stoned. I can just imagine the near riot these guys caused as they insisted on Jesus condemning her.
His response: He bent down and wrote in the sand – oh, to have seen what He wrote! And still they persisted and insisted that He condemn her, and I imagine in sarcastic and loud voices. And He quieted them big time … by standing and saying “He who is without sin, cast a stone at her first”! (John 8:7)
He was QUIET about it though, even to the prideful loud-mouthed Pharisees. His quiet correction rendered them quiet!
I am certain that the yelling evangelist was ignorant and unlearned as to the effects of his street-walking tirades claiming the Gospel of Christ, but I saw firsthand an outward expression of an inward emotion that was stirred up by this guy who, as I stated before, probably thinks he’s doing the right thing. What was the outward expression of the inward emotion? FEAR!
When I think of the worst kinds of sin mentioned in the Bible, I am humbled by Jesus’ response – not reaction – to not just the sin, but the sinner. I think of the woman at the well, the one who had been involved with many men simultaneously and He knew it as she made her way up to Him.
Now there were all kinds of rules inflicted upon the Jews, namely, a man was not allowed to talk to/with a woman without her husband present; Jews weren’t supposed to talk with Samaritans, especially the likes of a woman with a reputation such as hers! But Jesus was so much more interested in grace and salvation than He was public policy! He begins a conversation with her, treating her with respect – which is why I say respect Jesus style isn’t earned; rather, it’s letting someone be who they are, where they are!
He didn’t chase after her, yell her sins out to her, demand that she come to Him and be saved. No, His desire was to convict, quietly, and lovingly convict while leading by example for His desire is not to condemn the world but to save as many as will come to accept Him as their Savior.
I pray that the yelling evangelist who walks the streets of Vegas, and quite fast I must confess, would be convicted of this truth of conviction over condemnation; that he would quiet his yelling and look for opportunities to speak into the lives of those far from their creator one on one instead of trying to scare the hell out of people.
And that young boy who was pleading to get by me, I pray that one day, instead of saying “No, thank you” to the calling of his Creator, that he would be convicted to open up his heart and invite Him in.
Would you join me in these prayers?
Love,

Evinda