What Are You, Blind!?!

Have you ever heard the saying, "You'll catch more flies with honey than with vinegar?" I think that's true. It's like your boss at work ASKING you to do something rather than TELLING you to do it. There's a little respect mixed with a little love and niceness.

"There is a right way to do things and a wrong way." That makes sense. Either it's right or it's wrong. So, when we see someone doing something wrong, sinful or dangerous, what is the correct way to tell them so?

Have you ever heard of the Westboro Baptists? They tend to use vinegar when they encounter sinners (or anyone else who doesn't believe like THEY do). "Turn or burn, baby!" and "God hates fags." are not examples of typical Sunday morning sermon-speak. There is definite hate in their words.

I have heard the following analogy in regards to Christians and our evangelism towards non-believers:

If you saw someone who was blind walking towards a cliff, wouldn't you try to save them?

I have used that saying myself, when thinking about people in my life who are sinning against a Holy God. But I think it's use is wrong. At least for me it is. And here's why.

Before we yell, "Look out for that cliff!" love must exist for that person. If we don't love them, why should we care. And Jesus told us that we should love ALL people.

If I saw someone I loved walking towards a cliff, blind-folded, I would run, not walk, to them and restrain them with my arms and plead with them to turn from the course they are on. I wouldn't simply yell at them, "What are you, blind?! There's a cliff in front of you."

Some people are born with physical blindness. Others live with spiritual blindness in their lives. We should treat them no differently.

If you saw a blind person about ready to cross a busy four-lane highway, what would you do. Yelling, "Watch out for the cars!" is not going to cut it. No. We would come alongside them and help them across the road. And so it should be in life. We need to be the ones who come alongside the man struggling with the pain of divorce, the mother who just lost her son, or the young woman experimenting with a lifestyle change.

We simply need to love before we act, and act because we love. But we must ACT or we are nothing more than spectators at someone's death.

27 “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,  28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.  29 To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.  30 Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.  31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.

32 “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.  33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.  34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.  35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.  36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful." - Luke 6:27-36

Compassion and Evangelism - John MacArthur