Contrast

In sharing the Word with your kids or with those in your sphere of influence there will be mixed success.  Sometimes it will take; sometimes it will not.  Some people will respond; some will not.  Some of those who seem to initially respond will fall away.  I was reminded of that today in vivid relief.

At breakfast I met with the men who have been working through Philippians.  It was a joy to hear them wrestle with how to best engage others in the process to which they have been exposed.  Not only the content of Philippians but the way they had come to understand the book.  As I listened to the discussion I wished I a video recording of the interaction.  Success.

This afternoon I got an email from an associate who I followed at a campus ministry.  He was sharing an email from a person who had been in both his ministry and mine.  This individual has jettisoned the faith and all that goes with it in no uncertain terms.  Failure.

It would be easy to take credit for the success and blame for the failure.  However, the reality is that I had little to do with either.  I have no control over how people respond either positively or negatively to the message of the Gospel and the command to follow Christ.  All I, we, can do is set the table.  We cannot force anyone to eat or digest what the Lord says.  It is His work.  He has to work in their hearts and minds.  2 Timothy 2:24 – 25, reminds us of this.  We have to engage but it is God that works in a person’s life, not us.