Engaging with my fellow backpackers!

During my recent travels to Mozambique I had the refreshing oppertunity to engage with many people who are not familiar with the claims of Jesus. I say this is refreshing because it is so easy to become, in our Cape Town christian community, detached from real engagement and interaction with people who don't believe. Sure, we might chat briefly, but interaction is often very limited and, from our side, without specific intention of making Christ known. I found being in a backpackers lodge, where hardly anyone has even heard of the essence of the gospel, a refreshing and exciting oppertunity.

Now, what would usually happen is that I would be sitting at the bar having a beer and someone would join me (or I would join them). We would strike up a conversation and they, like any friendly person who smokes, would offer you a fag. I would graciously decline the offer (at least I tried) and would carry on the conversation. Invariably, with time, both of us would start to relise that our views on the world and how to live were very different ways. "You don't seem to have too much to drink; you don't swear; you don't smoke; your jokes are clean (and probably not funny!)" In essence, people DO notice a difference.

Now, as I chatted more with people, things that interest me and that I'm involved in were raised. I remember an instance where the issue of abortion was raised. I had an oppertunity to share my "pro-choice of life" views. Another issue that came up was that of premartial sex. Again, I had the oppertunity to speak about the biblical way to approach sex as a single. In essence, from the way we act and the things we say, our moral values become clear to unbelievers. I found this to be especially true in the backpacking environment where there is such a diversity of beliefs and behavior.

Now, as I thought about these interactions, it concerned me that this appearance of good morals, without a key message, may be counterproductive to the our making known the Gospel. Why? because if we live by the christian cliche, "preach the gospel, and use words if necessary", we will go for the easier option of never using words. Its easier to just be a someone who lives a "moral" life than be someone who actaully speaks about Jesus. Unfortunatly, what tends to happen, is that when we only show our "good sides" and make no mention (in an appropriate,sensible way) of Christ, the cross or the gospel, people see us as merely good moral people (that they could never be like). In their view, our lives are characterized by morality. This leads them to either: 1)be impressed at our morality (not what we want, although it may feel good), or 2) withdraw because we our moral views are offensive to them. In both cases, we are not getting the message of grace accross to the people that really need to hear it!

Now, I'm not saying that we should comprimise our morality to engage better with people who don't know Christ. What I do think however, is that we should ensure that what people take offense at is the cross, Jesus, the gospel-not our morality. Let's make sure that the stumbling stone (if there is going to be one) is Jesus and his gospel, not our "superior morality". Christianity is not primarily a religion of morality. If we make it out to be, by lives that are merely moral with no message, we do nobody any favours. Christianity is about the obedience of faith. If people do notice our moral lives, let's by all means not let them miss the spring from which true obedience flows-that spring is the gospel. Let's try to let them see that morality is in response to Jesus and his saving work on the cross, not our self-will to be good people.

We are not going to be able to "preach a gospel message" every time we interact with unbelievers. Thats not realistic. Our changed lives will show the "effects" of the gospel. One thing we must do though, is be prepared to speak (there is a message that must be spoken, and not just by preachers) in a way that shows that the "effect" is not the foundation-that morality is not the crux of our motivation to live right. We need to bring in the gospel. Lets not let our morality be the primary offense. If there must be an offense, let's let it be Christ, the cross and His gospel.