Spreading the Gospel of Reason can be an uphill battle to those of us ablaze with the passion to Give an Answer. The lack of enthusiasm and spark in the eyes of others we engage in this exciting message is puzzling. And often disheartening. It’s like beating a dead horse sometimes.
Like it or not the average Christian doesn’t give a hoot about the subject because they “already know Christianity is true”. They don’t need to know why it’s true. How could that be important?!
When Christians won’t listen to reason I have to take a deep breath and calm myself down. I’m on fire with the truth and the reasons for the hope that I have but I have to contain it. Control the inferno. Guide and meter it thoughtfully and carefully.
I confess that sometimes I feel like giving up.
Giving up on Apologetics. Writing about Apologetics speaking about Apologetics and thinking about Apologetics.
“Is that possible?” You ask with sarcastic incredulity.
Now give me a moment for my pity party.
Sometimes I just want no more to do with the subject. Nobody cares and roadblocks are everywhere everywhere everywhere. So maybe I should get a clue and just stop.
Seriously.
If no one cares why should I? I care for me of course, but why should I care for them? They don’t listen, they won’t listen and they don’t want to listen!
But didn’t they used to say that about me when they were the Christians and I was not? When I resisted everything they had to say?
Yes but…
And did God give up on me?
No but…
Yet there was still a persistence of The Message from other sources, even if my resistance had burned and run off most people previously encountered?
Ok yes but…
Likewise if I keep quiet and stop evangelizing the message of Apologetics and the Gospel of Reason to fellow Christians the message will persist from other sources.
Jesus didn’t give up on me when I didn’t listen. Specific Christians may have but Jesus didn’t. The persistence was from Jesus himself. He will never give up even if I do. And if I give up, He will work through another.
Is that the legacy I wish to leave from my time on this earth? That I went AWOL? That I abandoned my part in the continuation of the very mission that didn’t abandon me? That I abandoned the very person who is that mission who didn’t abandon me?
Will that be my expression of gratitude for not being left behind when that’s what I deserved?
These Christians they can be hard to deal with, I know. They can be stubborn, willful, narrow minded, suspicious, recalcitrant, obstinate, and unimaginative.
Just like me.
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