Resistance

Working in ministry with teenagers for 10 years, I've encountered a lot of resistance to the Gospel. Teenagers are naturally resistant to anything that looks like a boundary. To many of them, Christianity and even Jesus screams boundaries, so they start out pretty resistant to even talking about it. In addition to them having a negative understanding of what faith is all about, they are also a bit fearful of the unknown. They want truth, but they aren't sure what truth really looks like in many cases, and so they are skeptical. I can understand. They are growing up in a world that denies absolute truth. They are growing up in a world that tells them whatever they believe is fine, as long as they are sincere. If someone starts talking about one truth, they get skeptical about it and wonder if they can really trust what you are saying. But, I've found if you approach someone who is resistant with an open, loving heart and are willing to really listen to their point of view and not immediately shoot their ideas down, they are much more willing to have a conversation with you about it.
This was reinforced in my world this morning. I was having coffee with a college student who I coached a few years ago. We have stayed in touch as she has gone off and begun a new chapter in her life. Never very interested in the faith side of the journey, we've always had great conversations about the more practical things of life. I've always encouraged her to seek out truth, but I've never pushed it on her because the Spirit in me just kept telling me she wasn't ready. This morning was different. She had a pretty tough year last year and I could tell she was searching for a grounding point in her life. So I began just asking her questions about her faith journey. Immediately I got resistance. "The Bible is full of crap." "I just can't believe all that stuff." "It was written by a bunch of men and then a bunch of other men decided what went in it and what didn't so they could make the story what they wanted it to be." On and on the discussion went. I just listened and asked questions. I'll spare you all the details but after an hour conversation, her heart had softened to the idea of seeking truth for truth's sake. She had even let me in to hear the most difficult parts of her life and how faith in "a God", as she put it, was something she really might want to pursue...but she assured me it wouldn't be Christianity that she would pursue. In the end, I encouraged her not to toss the Bible out. (She told me she didn't even have one to toss anywhere...ha!) I encouraged her to read it critically and if she couldn't come to terms with the inerrant nature of it right now, that's ok...just read it and ask tons of questions. She walked away this morning with a Bible in her hand and a plan to read a gospel. Wow. Awesome! (and not only that, she confessed to going to the library and checking out Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis)
This interaction has stuck with me all day for two reasons. One is the reality that God continues to pursue us and chase us and want us. I see that in her life right now. God is pursuing her. He's allowing her to go through a bit of a desert time so that she will reach out. I know that if she seeks she will find.
The second is that no interaction is a wasted interaction. We have the opportunity every day to influence people...and we can influence them with the love of God or the love of self...but we will influence. I think about how easy it would have been not to dive into the issues and have a nice, surface level conversation with this friend today. And I'm so glad that the Spirit pointed me below the surface because the conversation blessed me in a way I can't even describe. I firmly believe that when we are willing to be the hands and feet of Christ, we are more blessed than we could ever be anywhere else.
Just something to chew on for a while...