The "Yes" Man
Have you ever been accosted by a salesman that just wants to tell you what you want to hear? They'll try to convince you the product you are contemplating buying will fix all of your problems. They'll make outrageous claims and grandiose promises just so they can swipe your card. They're even willing to lie a little about the product and paint it brighter than it actually is if that means you buy. The "Yes" man cannot say, "No."
Ever been to a church where the Pastor only shares success stories and Jesus sounds like a cure all for life's problems? Whenever you mention pain, loss, Japan, cancer, etc. they are quick to point to the warranty by stating, "You just need more faith." This kind of spirituality doesn't quite ring true. Even if we believe God is good, the world is still undeniably broken. We innately understand the sovereignty of God and that allows Him the freedom to say, "No."
Sales Goal Stress
Can I give you a little consumer pointer? Avoid retail stores toward the end of the month because that's when the sharks come out. Commission salesmen are fighting to make their quota and they can often become very aggressive in order to do so. They'll overcompensate by turning stress into excitement when you enter the door. Their eye is on their bonus or other salesmen rather than on what's best for the customer.
The fact is churches are closing faster than Blockbusters. Our postmodern world is becoming increasingly more skeptical toward organized religion and specifically Christianity. This can create in some an overcompensation of their faith. They drop 50,000 easter eggs from the sky and look past you as they shake your hand. The sales goal stress sets in as their turf erodes and an evangelist can't help but focus on the degradation of our nations morals rather than their' neighbor's sincere question. They'll become louder in public situations, and overly aggressive. They'll flex their morals like a juice head at the gym grunts to let you know how much weight they've lifted. It's about filling seats and getting notches on our convert belt. It's a relationship with an agenda. It's about being right and proving others wrong as they forget the Bible gently requests of us to think of others as better than ourselves(1)
No wonder evangelism has gained such an ugly reputation but I believe there is another way.
When the customer closes
There is an art to sales and a truly brilliant salesmen can be inspiring to watch. The good ones allow the customer to lead. A great salesmen will ask great questions, listen well, and then ask a follow up question. They have a quiet confidence in their knowledge of the product and you get to see glimpses of this if the need arises. The sign of a truly brilliant salesmen is when the customer asks, "So can I buy it?"
Imagine becoming this kind of evangelist? It would mean I would live a life so inspiring, gracious, generous, and loving that others would have to stop and take notice. I would have to walk with a kind of quiet confidence in God that meant Him and I spoke earlier that morning. I would have to be so utterly convinced that He likes me I would have no need to prove it. Forgiveness, compassion, and humility would have to become second nature. It must be refreshing to be around me. I must walk with an ever-present sense of hope, joy, and peace. I must not be the moral person you're grateful to have as a neighbor but don't really want to spend much time with. I must become the friend you call when you're in need because you know I'm not going to be too busy. I must not be good in the worst sense of the word. I must become grace in spilled perfume extravagance. You can never be a project to fix but always remain a person to be loved. I must not just say you are more important than me but actually believe you are more important than me. I must so fully illustrate the abundant life Jesus was always talking about that our relationship someday comes to the point when you say, "I'm sold."(2)
And my life would have already demonstrated the cost.
1. Philippians 2
2. Acts 16:30
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