Stop Making Me Feel Bad

Richard stood in the pool water dripping from his body and a deep joy radiating from within him, his smile was contagious, the people around the pool were smiling we couldn't help it.

Richard had just been baptised, he'd told his story about how he called out to God in a time of desperation and God answered him and his life was changed.  Over the last year Richard can testify again and again to the new life he has been given since that fateful encounter with God.

What do we call this change?

You may have heard the phrases.....

'He's become a Christian'
'He's been born again''

He's a new creation'

They all try and capture that sense of newness, a new beginning, a new start, a new life that Richard  knows to be true, and it's far more exciting to hear about Richard's new life than keep revisiting the stories of what he used to be like. God has done amazing things in Richard's life over the last year


During the service I challenged people to think about their own lives and the changes they need to make especially if life hasn't worked out as planned and things had gone wrong.  The challenge was to call out to God like Richard had done

 But here's the challenge - Richard knew something was wrong in his life something needed to change, but what about the people that are honestly quite happy with their life thank you very much.  Shortly after the service someone said to me, ' What's wrong with my life- what do I need to put right?', challenging me to identify their 'problem'. I wanted to say 'Pride mixed with a touch of arrogance'  but I don't like playing that game - so I didn't play it.

 But maybe he had a point.

I used to do it a lot though, I used to like to point out to people that no matter how 'together' their life is, how 'sorted and succesful' they are they were just blind to the bad stuff in their life (we call it sin)  'You may think you are a good person, you donate thousands of pound to charity every year, you live humbly, always help others, feed the hungry, house the homeless, your very personality defines generosity. You may have built an orphanage in Africa, you may put all your needs and desires second to helping others.  But you are still a sinner and you need God'.

If there was flaw in their life and personality - I was going to find it.

I used to use quotes from pop and film stars about the emptiness of fame and fortune;  Money doesn't buy happiness - Look at Amy Winehouse.

This problem keeps coming back to me again and again, whether its talking to people while serving them Hot chocolate as part of our street team outreach or chatting to a friend over a drink.  Some people are very hapy and content with their lives, they are good people, they do good things, life is good for them and they've earned it, they are nice people, they just have no real need for God.

Is the only approach to find their flaw, their sin and exploit it as a way of directing them to God?
Is there another way?

I have some thoughts of positive evangelism - celebrating the good in people's lives and rather than trying to find their flaw - point them to the fulfilment they will truly know by living for God and following Jesus.  Its about telling them good news- 'your life is good now and yet it can get even better'.

Before I sign off let me state: I truly believe that we have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory. I truly believe that we all need to seek God's forgiveness for these sins. I truly acknowledge that these sins may seem trivial to us but they were important enough for Jesus - they killed him.

I just wonder whether this should be the starting point when we are telling people about the incredible 'even better' new life Jesus offers us

What do you think?

Graham