It's Often In The Delivery

Puttering around doing laundry and cleaning today, I was struck by  profound thought. 

When I was younger, an important woman in my life taught me how to properly clean a room. She taught me to start on the left of the room and systematically work my way around toward the right until everything was dusted, top to bottom. Then, she taught me to vacuum, after all the dust had been knocked to the floor. It was so simple, but had she not introduced me to the concept, I would have continued jumping from one thing to another, missing areas that needed dusting and causing more work for myself. Had she not taken the opportunity to explain to me why she did what she did, I {most likely} wouldn't have contemplated such a wise, systematic approach. What if, instead, she had merely criticized my method and pointed out all the flaws associated with it? What if she told me I was a horrible clean-er and that she wanted nothing to do with me? It seems extreme, but stay with me...

Like that example, I wonder how many times we encounter someone who does, says, or believes differently than we do and instead of explaining what we believe with grace and respect, we write them off as being "ignorant". How many times do we spit our opposing views with condescension and pride, ridiculing them for how they differ from us?

Ouch.

I'm feeling the sting of conviction. 

This woman in my life never condemned me, spoke ill to or about me, nor did she force her method on me. Instead, sticking to her own full-proof method, she exampled that hers was the wiser way and I took notice. So when the opportunity presented itself, I could see that her words matched her actions and the outcome was good. Also? She opened my eyes to something I hadn't already considered...and it was literally life-changing. 

How many with whom we come in contact haven't had a different way presented to  them in a way that is throught-provoking, non-divisive, and respectful? How many are building walls because of our delivery method when we could be building bridges and changing lives? 

I'm not just talking about cleaning methods, here. What about some hot topics like vaccinating, breast feeding, baby wearing, homeschooling, discipline, marriage, ministry, finances? Or...what about salvation? 

What if we're presented with an opportunity to share Jesus with someone and we blow the opportunity because we're so disgusted by the other person's lifestyle or beliefs? What if that once-in-a-lifetime chance to share the Gospel is wasted by our pride and haughtiness? And what if that could have been the moment that changed that person's life...if only we'd shared with respect and grace?

If a person is going to reject something I say, may it be because they disagree, and not because of my delivery. I'll be thinking about this for a while. 

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