Can we have a Better Delivery Service?

I recently finished a post, (link to post here) with the effective thoughts of, “What light do we bring, a harsh and intense light that makes people flee? Or do we bring a gentle illumination, that shows a better path to take?”

In this post, I’m pondering on the thought of, “How can we have a better delivery service, so that our light can be less scary, and more inviting?”

Can we gently present or hand over, the truth that we know, instead of just throwing it around?
A hot cup of tea, is better, if it is handed over, instead of being thrown around. 🙂

So, how can we do better?

Jesus didn’t shy away from presenting the truth, even when people were trying to trap him. One occasion comes to mind, when Jesus was asked…

Matthew 22:17
¹⁷ Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”

Please, be under no illusion, this question was a trap!

If Jesus said “Yes”, then people could say, “This man is telling us to pay taxes to our enemy, how can we follow such a man?”
If Jesus said, “No”, then Jesus could be in trouble for inciting the people to rebel against the Romans.
It was, on the face of it, a no win question to answer.
But Jesus, being God, knew the intent of the question, and had an answer for them.

He asked for a coin, and then asked…

Matthew 22:20-22
²⁰ and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

²¹ “Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

²² When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.

Jesus gave an unpopular truth, that taxes need to be paid, but He delivered it, in such a way, that the people could accept the message, without being upset with the message giver.

Jesus answered the question, but in a way, that was not expected.
He gave the answer to the question, but not in the way that the question giver, wanted it to be answered.
Can we do likewise?

One technique that I have found to be useful, is to try to de-personalise my answers.

If I say, “I believe that ….” and then make a statement of what I believe, then, in some circumstances, what I say, can be twisted, and used against me. 😦

But, if I try to change what I say, ever so slightly to, “I believe what the Bible teaches, and the Bible tells me that …. , which I do believe, and I try to follow.”
Using this technique, can take away some, or a lot of the ability for my words to be twisted around so easily.

I can still be saying almost the exact same thing, but the difference is, that I’m no longer just saying, “This is what “I” believe!”
But I am now effectively saying, “My God tells me this, and I believe what my God tells me, if you don’t like it, then take it up with my God, for He is where I look to, for what I believe.”
(No, I don’t actually state them words, but the underlying thought can kind of come through. 🙂 )

Needless to say, this works so much better, if my thinking is in line with what the Bible says. 🙂

It may sound like a simple technique, and in some respects, it is, but there can be a need to be determined to stay the course.

I was having a discussion at work, when I was asked, “And what do you think about this then?”
In my answer, I tried to use the, “and the Bible says… ” technique.
But then I was asked, “But what do you believe, (or think)?”
My answer to that, was just to restate, what the Bible says.
The conversation went back and forth a couple of times, along the same lines, before my friend finally concluded, “OK, that’s what you believe then.”

I think that it was kind of racked up as a win for me … ???
But why did it take so many tries, before it was accepted as, “I believe the Bible, and the Bible teaches that …” ?
Was it because they wanted me to say, “I believe …”, which they were then possibly wanting to twist round to …. ?

I find that this technique, works best, if it can be done in a light handed way, with a smile. 🙂
Remember, the method of delivery matters.

Standing over someone, with a megaphone and stating as loudly as possible,
“THUS SAITH THE LORD …”
Really doesn’t have the same effect. 🙂
(As I may have done, in the past, with me being a little bit over excited. 😦 )

I dare say that there are many other ways, in which we can improve our delivery method.
Being tuned into, and hearing what Our Heavenly Father is speaking to us at any time, is always going to be the best trump card to play. 🙂

Hopefully we won’t be facing arrest or prison for what we say, but I do think that the verse below. is the last word on the topic. 🙂

Mark 13:11
¹¹ Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.