Close to you


Remember this one by the Carpenters? It should be a theme song for Christians as a reminder of what we want to do with people….celebrate their uniqueness and get close to them.

Someone asked what to do with an atheist friend with lots of objections to Christianity. Well first and last, you love her. Then you realize she is seeking the same God you know. She may be a Christian on a path to truth, and though that path may look like it is aimlessly winding nowhere, as far as God is concerned, it’s a straight line to Him.

When you realize this, then you realize you don’t have to talk anyone out of believing anything. If given the opportunity, you want to talk them into Jesus. You are not trying to win an argument. You are not trying to prove Christianity by disproving everything else. You are seeking truth and rejoicing when you find it. Remember, we are not confronting people; we are walking alongside, pointing.

Mostly, you want to get close to people. You want them to talk while you learn to listen. You want to learn as much as you can about what someone believes — not to shoot it down, but to find what truths are present there. If someone is into some mystic spirituality, they are realizing a spiritual dimension to life. This is good, and something you want to encourage, not do away with.

Remember our job is to walk alongside people and point to the truth. The priority is getting close to people. You can’t point someone somewhere unless you are next to them; otherwise, they might think you are pointing at them and get defensive. We are all pilgrims on a journey. You can only see what someone else sees by getting close to them and looking in the same direction, and you can only show them what you see in the same manner.


4 Responses to Close to you

  1. Bare says:

    Karen Carpenter. In my eyes she was THE BEST ALTO voice ever. Can’t imagine how Heaven will sound even better!! But I got the back up for that….

    ….No mere man has ever seen, heard or even imagined what wonderful things God has ready for those who love the Lord. I Corinthians 2:9 LB

  2. Mark D Seguin says:

    Big Amen to Today’s Catch! 🙂 ❤

  3. Markus says:

    Talking about faith takes trust. Without trust people will always suspect that we are just hunting for souls just like a football player is hunting for points. And who wants to be seen as just another number, or as a trophy? People tend to react very negatively when you give them this feeling. This is also why I believe that it is important to not overdo it. Be honest about your faith, put in your 2 cent when the subject just happens to come up naturally, and be ready to answer questions that might arise. And if neither of these things should happen then just be kind, or at least try to.

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