Who are the most belligerent and obnoxious people that are anti-smoking? It seems to be ex-smokers who finally quit. Because they had such a hard time quitting, their experience gives them the qualifications to feel they can tell others about the dangers of smoking.
Who are the most belligerent and obnoxious people that try to evangelize and spread the Christian Gospel? Believe it or not, it is NOT those that went through a multitude of heartbreak and sin before finally accepting Jesus later in life. Instead, it seems to be those who grew up in the church and have no idea of the depth of depravity that there can be in the human soul.
These Bible thumpers are responsible for driving more people away from the Christian church than anything else. Have you ever heard of the surveys where one of the major reasons why people don’t go to church is because of the hypocrisy within the church? It is said that your personal testimony is the most powerful tool for the advancement of the kingdom, but what kind of personal testimonies do these people have?
It has been my experience from the military that those with many years of military experience are more subdued than the newbie. Those with combat experience are even more laid back. Those who’ve fought the battle have a different perspective on everything.
The same is true of being a Christian. The person who accepted Christ later in life, who went through hell before that acceptance, and then fought the spiritual battle that comes after conversion, has a different view of Christianity and the church. They tend to refrain from the clichés and the hype. They have a deeper understanding of what the Scriptures say.
The same way that a newbie soldier should find a wily combat veteran to stick close to during the battle, newer Christians should seek out the spiritual battled tested Christian for mentorship. You can only teach what you know and have experienced. If all you can do is parrot what someone else said, you’re just a noisemaker.
Jesus never said that following him didn’t demand a price. Jesus simply said that HIS “yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Satan though has other ideas. When you are in the midst of spiritual warfare, it pays to have the veteran of other battles with you. They are not really hard to find. Look for the person who doesn’t say a whole lot, but when they do speak it is very deep and profound, and you may not understand quite what they are talking about at first. They also never miss worship. If you ask them they can tell story after story after story of the spiritual battles in their life and how ultimately God supported them and moved them from one blessing to another and another and another.
