What Not To Get Me For Christmas

      If you have been to a Christian bookstore recently I'm sure you have seen paintings, posters, plaques jewelry, engravings, etc. with this phrase, "Preach the gospel always, and if necessary use words" by St. Francis of Assisi. I found a few online because I didn't get a chance to go to the "local"(45 minutes is "local" when you live in Sevierville) Christian bookstore.

        This is the gift that keeps on "regifting" if I get it. Now I know you can take this quote as meaning, "stop talking about Christ if you aren't going to live it!" Amen to that, and if that is how you mean it I'm right there with you. And if it is a reaction to the Church being inwardly focused and oblivious to meeting the needs of the world out there - hey, preach preacher! But I'm afraid that most of the people using it are using it to feel good about their lack of sharing the gospel verbally with people for fear of rejection, severing "bridges",persecution, turning people "off" to the gospel (newsflash - they are aleady turned off),awkwardness, etc. They are hoping that at some point in their lives someone is going to come up to them and say, "I've been observing your life, your family, the way you serve the poor and needy, the way you react to stress, and I want what you have - please tell me about it." I've heard anecdotal cases of that happening, maybe you have too. Maybe it's happened to you. It happened to Karen and me once in 30 years of marraige and 50 years of being saved. Now maybe that is an indictment on the way I live(and it could be, because I am one of the most self-centered people I know) but just maybe the gospel necessitates a 2 pronged approach - life AND words.
      
        After being in a Reformed church for 15 years and observing Calvinism not necessarily preached, but lived out, I see this quote as a Cavinistic delight - if the elect will be saved, it's not urgent or imperitive that we share verbally, our lives can draw people to Christ. Your lack of sharing isn't going to keep anyone out of Heaven! 
            "Let people see your good deeds and glorify your father."  Matt. 5:16. I don't capitalize "father" here because good deeds ,not credited to anyone, can draw people to multiple "fathers" - Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Allah, Buddah, Confuscious, Ghandi, The Dali Lama, Tom Cruise, etc. Paul says, "How can they hear (not "see") without a preacher? (Rom 10:14) Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. (Rom. 10:17)  Why do you think Jesus was called "The Word" in John 1:1? Can you imagine Paul using this quote?In worlds of unbelief and danger, Daniel, Sharach, Meshach, Abednego, Joseph - men of outstanding character and wisdom found it necessary in the audience of kings to verbally give credit to the Father in Heaven even though they weren't asked for a reason to explain the hope that was in them. This action led to all glory given to God if not probably the salvation of Nebuchudnezzer for one. Sure there are 2 instances in the Bible of people saying "what must I do to be saved?" but in one case the rich young ruler started out by saying, "Good teacher..." which implied he came because of words, and the Phillipian jailer who knew that Paul was imprisoned for preaching the gospel and no doubt heard them singing throughout the night. In fact even his question, "What must I do to be saved?" implies previous knowledge.
         Isn't it just plain wrong and close to thievery when people say to us, "You have great kids" or "What a wonderful family you have"or "You are always so happy" or "You are the only Dr. in the world I trust" - to just say "Thanks!" Or "You are so kind." Or display some form of false humility? Shame on us! We have to give credit to Him or we are stealing His glory. I usually say(but regretfully not always), "Thanks so much. Anything good you see in me is Jesus living in me; anything bad is probably me." Maybe you have more creative ways to give the glory back to God. I'd love to hear them.

        So St. Francis, I know it will never be on a T-Shirt but the quote should be, " Don't make people try to guess why you are such a good person, tell them!"