Persuasion

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others... 2 Corinthians 5:11. Do we? Do we try to persuade others or do we try to just get along? When was the last time you have presented the gospel to someone? When was the last time you tried to persuade anyone to follow Christ?

In a world filled with words, ours and the Lord's gets lost in the pixelated world in which many of us live. We communicate through texting or chatting on social media websites. The world in 140 characters or less. I live in that world far too often. Rather than our lives being flowing and organic, we try to sum things up in cliches or witty snippets posted online for others to read and respond. In this world, our Lord's words are just another opinion in a sea of people trying to be something other than themselves or rather letting the nasty human being out that they can't be in person.

I love technology. I like movies, music, and smartphones. But sometimes I need more than a text. I need more than an emoticon. I need more than a /hug. Sometimes, I actually need a hug. Sometimes I actually need a set of eyes staring back at me, listening to me, responding to me. Sometimes, I actually need to sit down with a friend and talk. Sometimes I need to talk to strangers. Sometimes I need to let my actions speak louder than my words.

But all of the time, I need to let the Lord speak through me. Then and only then can I be persuasive. Only then can He work through me to try and persuade others that my God is a mighty God who is to be feared. That He is a God of judgment and Hell fire. He is also a God who can quench the Hell fire. The condemnation that all people fall under, this fearful, mighty God has taken the punishment upon Himself.

All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. Therefore, we try to persuade others......