Safeway evangelism

The checker at Safeway was stricken. The $50 bill she had assumed was payment from the man at the counter was actually the change back to the previous customer. The man at the counter was clear: the $20 was his, not the $50. In the end, the previous customer got his money back and all ended well.

Nobody talked about Jesus, though.

That was once the rich ground of my evangelism system. I figured that if ever I had a chance to show just how honest I really was, someone would instantly ask me why and I could share my faith as they clung to my every word, so impressed with my integrity. I would have looked so good to those around me that they’d ask.

But nobody did that at Safeway. They all said, whew and thanks.

So much for my evangelism plan. The emperor had no clothes. Honesty is not the sign of a follower of Jesus. Total pagans are often honest. It’s a cultural standard.

Jesus didn’t lay such a model before his disciples. I searched but there’s no command to be honest so they will come to the Lord. He sent his disciples out to act with compassion and point the way to him.

Cure the sick who are there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you’. (Luke 10:9)

I was curious as to what Jesus told his disciples to watch out for. Today, we’d tell them to watch out for immoral living (gotta stay pure as a witness) and to flee dishonesty (they’ll ask why we are so decent and pure).

He told his disciples to beware of the following: hypocrisy, greed, apple-polishing the crowd, being led astray.

The most common warning? Beware the religious leaders.

We don’t draw people to Jesus with our honesty but with our concern, our brokenness, our sacrifice, our steadfastness. We draw people when we look like Jesus and point them to him.
Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners. He touched the impure. He went into Samaria. He was filled with love and compassion for the people.

His criticism was for the hypocritical, those preening for the crowd, making themselves look good to those around them. So much for correct-change evangelism.

"Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets. They devour widows' houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation."

Luke 20:46-47