We were having a brief blog-chat about evangelism. My fellow Christian blogger was afraid that her efforts to introduce her friends to truthful information about Jesus would come across as preachy, and be a turn-off. I’ve experienced similar fears. Instead of pulling people toward Jesus, a preachy approach will often push them away.
Yet God doesn’t want us to be preachy to others. Jesus tells us that people should know we are His disciples by our love for each other, not by our preaching. As He said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
Long ago, when I told my sister about my realization that I had finally become Christian, she said, “You’re not one of those Jesus freaks, are you?” Well, I didn’t answer her, but inside I answered myself with, YES!
Yet, I think it has surprised my sister that after all these years, I’ve never preached to her. But what I have done is love her more. And it has been in my ever-growing relationship with God where I have learned to truly love.
Where preachiness pushes, love pulls. Love evangelizes far better than preachiness.
His Truth Will Set You Free 
November 29, 2014 at 12:53 pm
The statement “love pulls” is an interesting one to me.
I see the sort of vacuum-like analogy. In one sense, “nature abhors a vacuum” and so when a vacuum, meaning emptiness is created, nature (or for this analogy, human beings) are pulled into that vacuum.
Which leads me to the next sense, that we create that vacuum, that pulling of people to Love, by giving love away. In this sense, by giving or emptying ourselves of love to others, it has the vacuum-like function of gravitating people to us.
I’m not sure if I have described the analogy quite as I actually see it in my mind, but maybe you see what I’m trying to say :)
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November 29, 2014 at 1:08 pm
I’m not sure how you see it in your mind, but I sure like how you’ve described it. And you’ve really given me something to think about. Also, I think you should write a blog post about your thoughts on love, so you can share it with more people. Finally, thanks so much for commenting.
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December 2, 2014 at 2:48 pm
“Love evangelizes far better than preachiness.” You are so right, C.J. Loving people into the kingdom. Amen.
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