You Can't Drag People Into the Kingdom

When I was a teenager, growing up in a small town, I ran from the hypocrisy of the church and I ran from God. I had people in my life at that time who would gently nudge me to return to church and I also had people in my life who would try to push me back to God. Maybe it's because I am very strong willed, but when someone pushes me I tend to do the opposite of what they wanted me to do (God has worked that out a lot with me, but that is a subject of another blog).These well-intentioned people knew I had grown up in church, but the more they pushed, the more I ran.

I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine who had been "pushed"  by someone. She knew my beliefs and she also knew that I knew and respected where she was on her journey. That is the only reason she confided in me, because I had earned her trust and respect.

I have seen it too many times; well meaning Christians pushing people away from God, as they try to drag them into the Kingdom. It is a matter of the condition of the heart for that individual. I'm pretty sure Jesus wants people to come to Him on their own terms not because they are made to feel guilty  or because they want the person "ministering" to them to just leave them alone.

I've been called a "turn or burn" person, and maybe I am. I guess that depends on how you define "turn or burn". I don't force my faith on other people, I tell them the truth, I give testimony of what God has done in my life, then I leave them to make their own choice; even if that choice is to burn. It's not that I give up on the person, I continue to pray for them and love them. I just know that just like you cant pull a sprout out of a seed you cant force the faith in someone else.

How many Christians continue to use the same approach with the same person, getting the same results and then they blame and judge that person instead of realizing that what they are doing is trying to force or drag that person into the Kingdom. I don't think that is how Jesus did it.  Just look at the story of the prodigal son. Here is a story about a father who raised his son in the way he saw fit, but his son rejected it; the son made a choice. The father didn't beg or plead with his son when the son wanted to leave. He didn't bargain with him trying to convince him to stay. Instead he gave him his inheritance and let him go. The father didn't forget about his son, however, instead he waited for the day that his child would returned, and when that day came he celebrated with joy and a party. (Luke 15:11-32)

Another example was when the rich man approached Jesus and asked what it took to get into heaven.

 (Matthew 19:16-26) After telling the man to follow the commandments, and the man saying he did follow them, Jesus tells him to sell everything and follow Him. The man becomes sad and chooses to walk away. Jesus then proceeds to say in verse 24, " again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God". The disciples thought that was pretty harsh and Jesus responds in vs 26, "with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible"

When Christians try to push or drag people into the Kingdom they are trying to be the Holy Spirit to them. The hardest ones to minister to is family, especially our children, but our job as disciples of Christ is not to force someone, bribe someone, or guilt someone into believing, it is being ambassadors for Christ; representing Him. Jesus didn't force anyone to believe in Him. He taught them, spoke truth to them, demonstrated His love for them but He never begged for them to love Him back. Instead, He let them go their own way and let the Holy Spirit do the work on their heart. I believe what Mathew 19:26 meant is that it really isn't man's responsibility to change the heart it is only our responsibility to share the Gospel and to love that individual. It is up to God to work on the heart.

Not everyone is going to make the choice to come to Jesus. I  have friends and family of varying beliefs. Some believe there is a God but don't think they need to go to church, others don't even believe there is a God, and still others believe in Jesus, desire to attend a church but cant get past the judgments and hypocrisy that plagues the church today. I desire for every person who comes into my life to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ but I also know that I can't force them. The best way to get someone to want the Kingdom and to want Jesus is to do what He did. He loved them where they were, not asking them to change before He would love them. He loved them just as they were, because He knew that if they accepted that love, started to learn more about Him, then they would grow to love Him back with sincerity because of how He first loved them.

We have all had the telemarketers call our house. We say no to the offer and they keep persisting. We say "no" several times, till we finally hang up on them, cutting off the contact. How does it make you feel when they don't listen to your answer and push on with their agenda? I don't know about you, but I don't want to be that pushy person, and I definitely don't want to push until they feel like their only option is to hang up.

We cannot transform people into what we think they should be. God created them for their own testimony and  it is not our place to interfere in that. We need to be observant when ministering to others and be respectful if they do not want what we are offering. Whether that be a simple prayer, or the gospel itself, we must respect their decision. It doesn't meant we give up on them, but it does mean we go to our prayer closet and contend for that person there. Plant the seed, water it if you can, and let God do the rest.