Nice People

The hardest people to reach with the Gospel of Jesus Christ are arguably “nice people.”

There are so many who see “religion” as simply a way to make the world ‘nicer,’ to make people ‘good’ or to keep society from, as the Joker put it, ‘eating itself’ instead of simply the response required of Man to God’s revelation of Himself. On the other hand, there are many religions out there just for that very purpose. Even if one views false religions as planted by devils rather than men (and I imagine there are some of both, though both just as bad) then devils and false prophets may seek to deter us from God by the tiniest fraction of truth. Mormonism grows so quickly simply because it has the veneer of truth; Jesus truly is the Savior of the world, though the rest is malarkey. Islam is right; God is One, and He is completely Sovereign but Jesus is God and outranks their prophet. However both the Mormons and the Muslims I know are really stand up folks. But God doesn’t care that you are a stand up fella if you are worshiping a false god. And Satan doesn’t care if you aren’t an adulterer just as long as you aren’t a Christian. What did C.S. Lewis once say? ‘The devil won’t make you a murderer if he can get you with cards?’

This is especially true for really nice folks. ‘All American Joe’ who stands up for the rights of everyone else, the chippy fellow in accounting who makes charity funds his life, or the straight-laced Japanese housewife who gives her total self for her family and adheres to every rule. What about the charity worker that loves everyone? As the Beatles say, “All you need is love.” I don’t think that is true. What about loyalty, justice and faith? How about hope, humility, trust, sacrifice, honesty, charity, mercy, integrity? No, love is not all you need and ‘being good’ isn’t good enough.

When witnessing the Gospel to others, as Saint Francis said, open your mouth only when necessary.

Jesus refers, in John, to the sower and the reaper of God’s harvest. The sower being the one who introduces the seed of the Word, the reaper the one who collects those ready for God’s Spirit to reside in their hearts. The sower and reaper may be one in the same or they may be different people. Both are important, but it is the Holy Spirit that does the work, so go by His timing, not yours. Besides, many people have a preconceived notion of  Christianity and tunnels may have to be burrowed through thick walls constructed around hard hearts and minds to show what true Christianity is. But it is not just being a good person. In fact, the church is made up of some real rabble (often a cause of many of the world’s misconceptions), and explaining why that is may be a real witnessing point. Especially to a fellow who is, seemingly, naturally a ‘nicer’ person: humility goes a long way. As I always tell people,

“I’m a follower of Jesus of Nazareth because I know I’m a jerk. I need a Savior, and no One else lives up to the task. And live He does.”

The first step to becoming a Christian is realizing your need for Christ.

Realizing that need may come in the revelation of Who He Is and how we don’t measure up to Him or His standards, or it may be a feeling of inadequacy or loneliness, perhaps a feeling that one is lost, that one needs help from some-One outside themselves. It is especially impacting when one realizes that no one merely human can help because everyone else is just as rotten.

“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”

Before Christ performed His miracles even John prepared the way, crying out, “make straight the paths” and “Repent!” The world does not like to be told they aren’t all chippy; the darkness hates the Light, right? But until they recognize what the Light is, all holy talk goes right over their heads. So, with ‘nice’ folks who have no idea that they aren’t as nice as they may think they are, or as nice as others tell them – after all, by whose standards are they judging but the world’s? -  convicting them of sin, is usually, as they say, “a God thing.” Don’t go pointing out the splinter in others’ eyes. Just pray for them for words uttered to God have far more weight than those uttered to men. Their time will come. In the meanwhile, live as Christ lived so nice folks can’t complain against you.