Used

I'm going to go ahead and state the obvious: it's election season. Some people really love politics and debates and trying to determine the best candidate. Honestly, I could take it or leave it, but at the very least, I think we as citizens should take advantage of our right to vote and do so in an informed manner. Anyway...yesterday I checked the mail and, literally, every last piece of mail was political in nature.

Vote for me!

No, vote for me!

He's dumb, vote for me!

Well, he hates women, vote for me!

Well, he hates babies and women, vote for me!

He's lying to you and he hates babies and women, vote for me!

No, he's lying to you, hates babies and women, and he just kicked your grandma down a flight of stairs because she was in his way as he tried to shake hands and kiss babies in an effort to convince people to vote for him when he really isn't even qualified to run in this election...oh yeah, and vote for me!

It's an endless onslaught of, to put it bluntly, hate mail directed at one another and filtered through my mailbox.

And I found myself incredibly frustrated about the whole thing, longing for November 7th to come and wishing that there had at least been some sort of note from a friend mixed in with all that mess. I'd have even taken a bill over all that! As I stewed for a moment, a thought floated across my mind:

"I feel used. They don't care who I am or what concerns I have. They just want my vote. If they really cared, I would hear from them more than just during election season."

Now, most politicians probably don't intend that message. But you can imagine my frustration with the whole situation. You've probably even felt it in some form or fashion, and not even necessarily about politics. Maybe you're walking through the mall and those kiosk workers perk up as you walk by. You can practically see the dollar signs on their eyes. You wander around a car lot and the salesmen are fighting over who "gets" you - again, you're just a paycheck to them. It's a common phenomenon, but it's true.

Long story longer, we were driving down the road and I was telling Beth about my frustration over the whole thing and she responded this way,

"People probably feel the same way about us as Christians."

Ouch. That really stings.

And yet, she is absolutely right. We can feel used by politicians or valued only for a sale in the mall, but the same is true for the message that we proclaim. People don't really want to hear what we have to say about the gospel until they can see that we really value them for who they are. Otherwise, they just end up feeling like the next sale.

It is true that we ought to love God. But it is also true that our love for God will show itself in our love for people. Jesus calls it the second greatest commandment. We must truly love and invest in people. The people you are trying to share the gospel with are, after all, people. They have questions and concerns, problems and solutions, joys and sorrows. They are real people with real issues and when you cross their path you have two choices: you can sell them some product they don't need or you can show them a Person they can't live without.

But the only way they'll know they can't live without Him is if they see how desperately you can't live without Him. And the only way they'll see that is by walking through life alongside of you.

Jesus modeled this very thing. He lived life with His disciples and among the people to whom He ministered. And as the people came to Him in droves, they watched Jesus miraculously meet their physical needs while offering the perfect solution to all of their spiritual ones. They watched Him absolutely love them as they were while divinely calling them to something greater than themselves.

And so my challenge to you is this: live life. But live life with people so that they can see just how much you love them for who they are, no matter what. So that they can see that you value them as a person, not as a statistic. And when they see how much you care for them, flaws and all, then they will truly hear what you have to say about the one Person who loves them more than you ever could.

Do you truly love people?
Or are you just using them to get a crown in heaven?

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That you might know Christ,