It speaks for itself

This afternoon my daughter's friend, Zack, came over to the house. He's a college student. This summer he took a job selling Kirby Vacuum Cleaners. He called to ask if he could practice on us. He was pretty funny. He went through his spiel and touted the virtues of the vacuum. He even shared some of the things the trainer told him to say that would soften people up to make a sale.

The truth is that everyone knows that Kirby is the top of the line in vacuum cleaners. It also has a premium price. The cost is the biggest stumbling block when it comes to making the purchase. So Zack said they told him to focus on the health benefits. Clean carpets, upholstery, and mattresses, dust free homes, and cleaner living are fabulous benefits. The price almost seems worth it when you factor in these things.

As he was going through his speech, it made me think about our commitment to Christ. For those of us who are sold on him it seems like a no brainer. God loves us. He sent his son. We accept him as our savior. We live a life of faith, loving and serving him. We don't even count the cost anymore.

For the person who doesn't know Christ it isn't as clear cut. Living the life of faith seems to have a pretty big price attached to it. You and I can point out all the benefits to our friends but the price can still seem daunting. Even if the person recognizes how much they need Jesus, they may still stumble when it comes to making that commitment.

So what do we do? I think my friend Zack may have the answer. Be as honest and upfront as you can be. Explain the cost and the benefits and then let the person make their decision. The truth is that we don't need to sell people of Christ. Jesus will do that. All we are asked to do is to make the introduction and testify to what he has done for us.

I like the Phillip Yancy quote that Dan Merchant lifts up in his documentary. "No one ever converted to Christianity because they lost an argument." The truth is that it is coming face to face with Jesus and his grace that changes life. I thank God for that. We don't have to be salesmen. We can simply be ourselves and let our relationship to Jesus speak for itself.

Cal