I propose a new way of looking at the situation, and using it as an opportunity of letting our light shine in the darkness. For it occurs to me that one's inner
attitude and motive in wishing all and sundry, "Merry Christmas" is of
utmost importance. For I can draw a line in the sand
and say to myself, "thus far you pagans can come and no further for I will
defend freedom of speech, and fight political correctness on this point by
hurling joyous noels at everything that breathes. But surely such an attitude is contradictory to the spirit of the season, and cannot possibly bear good fruit. But, if our attitude is
rather, "I will not be afraid, but will consciously take every opportunity
to exalt Jesus--I believe we can move beyond mere pugnacity and move in the direction of true witnessing. So when the clerk wishes us something like, "Seasons greetings" or "Best wishes for the holiday", etc. etc. what if we were to look carefully at the person and say something like, "Thank you for your kind wishes, Jesus, Light of the world has come to me, may he come to you". All it takes for this kind of ministry is the courage to be transparent and the courage to confess Christ before men. Imagine a kind of built in ministry opportunity given to all of us to at this special season of the year. Paul says in Colossians 4: 5: "Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders making the most of the opportunity".
attitude and motive in wishing all and sundry, "Merry Christmas" is of
utmost importance. For I can draw a line in the sand
and say to myself, "thus far you pagans can come and no further for I will
defend freedom of speech, and fight political correctness on this point by
hurling joyous noels at everything that breathes. But surely such an attitude is contradictory to the spirit of the season, and cannot possibly bear good fruit. But, if our attitude is
rather, "I will not be afraid, but will consciously take every opportunity
to exalt Jesus--I believe we can move beyond mere pugnacity and move in the direction of true witnessing. So when the clerk wishes us something like, "Seasons greetings" or "Best wishes for the holiday", etc. etc. what if we were to look carefully at the person and say something like, "Thank you for your kind wishes, Jesus, Light of the world has come to me, may he come to you". All it takes for this kind of ministry is the courage to be transparent and the courage to confess Christ before men. Imagine a kind of built in ministry opportunity given to all of us to at this special season of the year. Paul says in Colossians 4: 5: "Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders making the most of the opportunity".
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