Bridging the Gap

C.S. Lewis...draws a distinction between communicating with a society that hears the Gospel for the first time and one that has embraced and then largely rejected it. 'A person must court a virgin differently than a divorcee,' said Lewis. 'One welcomes the charming words; the other needs a demonstration of love to overcome inbuilt skepticism.'

~Philip Yancey

It breaks my heart to look at those around me and think of how far from God some of them are. Somehow, though, I have more hope for those who would be meeting him for the first time then for seeing the return of those who have loved him and left him, so to speak. I'm not sure what to say to that or how to overcome the skepticism or cynicism they approach faith with. For some it's the church they're rejecting but I wonder, in rejecting God's people, if they're not rejecting Him as well. I don't think that's the intention but potentially the result. Oh, I know the church isn't perfect. People aren't perfect. People can be mislead or misguided no matter how good their intentions. That said, the Gospel is good news and, as Rob Bell says, unless the Gospel is good news for everyone than it is not good news for anyone.

It is good news.

He is alive.

He is love.

He is.

Whether for the first time or all over again, I pray that God will give me the words an opportunities to help communicate the good news well.