If You Love Someone, Tie Them Down
GodWords Newsletter #77
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Gulliver was just a regular guy. Of course, the people of Lilliput were only six inches tall… so to them he was GIGANTIC. Capturing this enormous man seemed like an impossible task. Gulliver was huge, and their strongest rope would never hold him. It would take no effort at all for him to break free… and yet they succeeded. Here’s how:
The men and women of Lilliput cast their ropes, tiny as they were, across Gulliver’s sleeping body. Again and again, working for hours. When Gulliver awoke, he found himself trapped… tied to the ground, unable to break free from hundreds of fragile, slender threads.
I get a lot of emails from GodWords readers. Some ask questions about God or the Bible, others want to comment on something they read. The emails I find most encouraging are the ones where a loving parent asks a stranger for advice. That they’re willing to ask a stranger shows the depth of their concern. They want to know how to influence loved ones who are far from God, and they know they risk repelling the very people they hope to attract.
Like the Lilliputians, we may feel weak and ineffective when it comes to influencing others for Christ. We want our loved ones to follow Jesus, but we don’t know what to say… or how to say it.
They need a good strategy. We all need a good strategy, don’t we?
I don’t know these people personally. I can’t put myself in their shoes, so I have no specific advice to give. However: human nature never changes… so there are some basic principles that might apply anywhere. Here are four obvious ideas, then we’ll finish up with a lesson taken from Gulliver’s Travels.
Pray. Ask God to make them thirsty, ask for opportunities to serve them, for wisdom, and that God would surround them with believers who can help. Ask a buddy to join you in praying for them.
Ask good questions. Not to directly challenge them - though there’s a time for that - but to get them thinking about what they believe. Example: ask them for advice on how people in their age group think about God. Listen without arguing.
Encourage them. It's easy to point out what needs fixing, but we get more of what we encourage. Look for opportunities to praise them. Thank them for sharing their thoughts. Appreciate the good things they do. Reinforce their wise behavior. Be known as a person who sees the good in spite of your differences.
Give good gifts. Provide them with interesting resources. Share a fun or meaningful video by a good teacher. Share a music video they might like. Buy short, simple books explaining basic Christian concepts. Help them grow by finding things related to faith that will interest them.
Finally, tie them down. The tiny Lilliputians trapped the enormous Gulliver. While he wasn’t paying attention, they captured him with many tiny threads. In the same way, we can tie our loved ones to ourselves in many small, incremental, loving ways. Overwhelm them with kindness. Surprise them by listening. Ask for advice, even if you think they have none to give. Be known as a person of peace… someone they can come to without fear of rejection. Tie them down with a thousand acts of love and kindness. Be strong, be bold, be firm, and be direct… but always be gentle. When they need someone, be there.
When it comes to helping our loved ones follow Jesus, we can’t make the decision for them. We can, of course, make their decision easier or, sadly, much harder. If the Christians they know are all angry, argumentative, critical people, why would they want to become a Christian? If the Christians they know are loving, generous, and strong in our convictions about life, truth, and the Way, they can turn to us when thing get tough. Do this with boldness, and without compromise, and trust God for the rest.
I love you all.
❤️
STUNNING Early Christian Inscription from Armageddon: "God Jesus Christ"
Archaeology is incredibly helpful in authenticating the people and places found in the Bible. While some claim that Christians didn’t consider Jesus to be God until around 300 years after His death, the facts say otherwise. Sean McDowell hosts Dr. Christopher Rollston (video, 1:05:37).
All Those Things We Never Did
A lovely article, reflecting on the seasons of life from her 30th wedding anniversary. I could almost feel the sand between my toes.
How Do We Transition Children from Sunday School to Service?
There comes a time for children to join the adults in the main worship service. Here are some helpful tips for making the transition.
It Has To Be Dark Before We Can See
What did Adam think as the sun went down on his very first day? Did he have any idea that the night could be beautiful? Are you sad? Grieving? Regretful? Take heart.
What is the Bible About?
Wanna see something really cool? Here’s just a taste:
Jesus is the true and better Adam, who passed the test in the garden… His garden, a much tougher garden, and whose obedience is imputed to us.
Jesus is the true and better Abel who, though innocently slain, has blood that cries out, not for our condemnation, but for our acquittal.
If you believe what you like in the gospel, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.
– Augustine
Well, I crowned myself king
Yeah, I crowned myself king
But I didn't see the trouble
The heartache and the sorrow it would bring
Now I'm broken and weary
And looking for my King
White Heart: Let the Kingdom Come
One of the best Christian rock groups of all time, one of the best Christian rock albums of all time. Enjoy.
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