Sometimes (almost always) I have little to no patience when dealing with someone so lost they can’t even argue in a straight line. These are the guys who mis-quote scripture, take things out of context or just run around in verbal circles. They are so committed to living for their own desires, they will warp and twist any argument to their advantage. They love using things like “judge not lest ye be judged” and always focus on Jesus’ love and gentleness (but forget that he flipped the merchant tables in the tabernacle) I can’t handle them because they can’t even stay on one topic long enough for me to counter their false understanding let alone correct them.
Usually, I move on to a more open person and try to show them that much of the Christianity they’ve come to despise is really sinful man trying to rationalize his own desires and that just because someone claims to be Christian, doesn’t mean they are. Many so-called Christians are using selective scripture to justify their own hatred and ignorance. God doesn’t hate homosexuality because it’s gross, He hates it because it’s self serving and motivated by personal desires and not the desire to obey Christ. It’s also no more offensive to God than lying or murder, since all sin is a stench in the nostrils of God. But I digress…
The point is tonight Big Mike and PK got into a very long ‘discussion’ with a gentleman on the street about the usual stuff. Isaac wouldn’t commit to any one belief and thought that the truth was relative (never take this position around Big Mike and PK) Needless to say, the conversation never really went anywhere because every time PK or Mike would say something to correct Isaac, he would just switch gears and talk about some other issue.
Strangely enough, Isaac was well versed in scripture but for some reason, never really understood it. Now I was getting very frustrated because I wanted to take the burritos we had left and serve some other people but we had gotten to everyone around us and needed to move to another spot. I don’t mind getting into a good discussion, I just don’t think Isaac made for good discussion. But that’s my sin.
Big Mike and PK are a lot more versed in scripture and have been debating the merits of Christ long enough to have some serious arguments and counter points in their bag of tricks. I’m still green so I like easy challenges, but these guys need to sharpen their skills on some really tough cases. I should be proud to serve with such Godly men instead of grumbling about how I want to serve.
It’s not that we need to all be at the same level of preaching or that we need to be able to preach to all the same kind of people…we each have a style or perspective that matches up with certain individuals and we are each called to preach because not everyone needs to hear the same message as someone else or in the same way. This is also why we can have different churches but still be one church – the body of believers.
