Don’t be Chicken: practice hospitality to the unbelieving world
Jesus was often placed in situations where people were trying to trap him. Catch him in the act of disobedience to the law. Or trick him into answering a loaded question. But this Jesus couldn’t be fooled. In his wisdom, he responded with parables and questions and answers that needed clarifying.
This was confusing to the disciples, and maybe even a little embarrassing. This was the guy they left everything to follow. This was the guy they stood next to when the crowds gathered to listen. Surely they were hoping for a leader with clear-cut answers, powerful comebacks, and responses that put his challengers in their place.
Why do you speak to the peoples in parables? they ask.
Jesus replies to his disciples, The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them…Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
This conversation between teacher and followers happened after Jesus told the parable of the sower, a story full of wisdom on the reality of the hearts of men. Some are soft and nourished, ready for the planting of truth. Others are hard and baron and nothing of value will grow. Still others are shallow with signs of life, but the lies choke out the truth.
Our audience matters. What we say and how we say it ought to be influenced by those who are listening to our words.
We live in a place and time where we are able to express our beliefs. We may be criticized for them, but there is freedom to speak our mind and heart. This freedom has furthered the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and for that I give God glory. However, Christians have a responsibility of speech that supersedes this freedom of speech. Yes, it’s a burden to speak what is true. But it’s also having the wisdom to know when our words of truth will be fruitful, producing a living product. And when it will be sown, only to fall wayside on the sidewalk, or be plucked from the shallow soil.
Like Jesus, Christians often find themselves in situations where they’re being trapped with a question or cornered with the request to clarify what we believe about something.
There is a way to speak truthfully and hospitably to the unbelieving world. There are answers we can give that reveal truth, without creating a hard line that separates us from the world we’ve been called to love.
I’ve thought long and hard about Mr. Cathy and this Chic-fil-a situation. This well intended man did not misspeak. He respectfully and honestly gave an answer to the question asked of him. Ultimately, there is nothing wrong in being honest. I’m just not sure how fruitful it was, or how it benefited the Gospel message.
I ask with a genuine spirit How did stating his belief about marriage and family reveal to the world a God who is actively redeeming his entire creation? And How did standing in line and spending money on Chicken give love to the world and affirm the Gospel?
Sure, it gave something for believers to rally around. It promoted business and brought in sales. It gave something for everyone in cyberspace to talk about, poke fun of, and {for the few of you} authentically engage. Ultimately, there is nothing wrong with supporting Mr. Cathy and his business. It’s good for believers to support one another in our work and values. But yesterday was more than that. It was a loud, public statement that probably did more harm than good.
The choices Mr. Cathy has made — living within his values and remaining faithfully married to his first wife – speaks louder and more powerfully than him stating what he believes is the biblical definition of marriage and family.
If you point to what Jesus has accomplished in your life, you reveal truth and the fruit it produces. The result is a living testimony and example. The result is interest in your unique story. The result is an invitation for your listeners to know more. But, if you strongly state what you believe and don’t believe as right and wrong, you create two sides – those who believe like you and those who don’t. The result is those who believe like you continue to believe like you, and those who don’t believe like you still don’t believe like you. The result is rejection. The result is boycotting. The result is division.
There is no movement toward Jesus, no witness of who he is. Just a hard line to stand on either side.
If the world wants to reject us for the way we live, we can’t do anything about that. But if it’s our words that cause division, there is a burden for us to change the way we are communicating the message we so passionately believe. Jesus was honest in communicating the truth, but he wasn’t always clear. He creatively revealed his Father through his life, his stories and his compassion for all people.
We can follow this example. Our words, even words of truth, ought to receive people into the story of Jesus. They ought to welcome those who think different. They ought to invite opponents to hear more.
If I consider the issue at hand, my heart urges us to affirm marriage by living faithfully within our own. Not by telling others what we think is a marriage and what we think is not. Let us affirm sisters and brothers by encouraging them in their good works and faithful service. Not by rallying around them with political posturing. Let us answer to the world with affirmations about what God has done in our life. Not with self-righteous words that separate.
This kind of living and speaking takes courage. It takes trusting in God to do the planting after we sow. It’s believing that after we reveal a truth with our life and testimony, he will interpret in the hearts of the hearers.
Parable of the Sower, Matthew 13
