Passive-Aggressive Evangelism

I'm just learning what "passive-aggressive" means. I mean, I've heard the term before, of course, but it was always the punchline to a joke on Frazier or something. I never really thought about what it really means. Now I know.

It means me.

Oh, not all the time, surely. But Lori can probably tell you stories...

Better yet, don't talk to Lori about that.

I realized it again today, though. I've had two books given to me: The Shack and Scalpel and the Soul.

When I was given The Shack, the person said, "You HAVE to read this book."

When I was given The Scalpel... the person said, "I think you might enjoy this book. It really affected me."

So, what happened? I received both books graciously (that would be, um, the passive part, I guess) but I've had The Shack for three months, and the other for three weeks and I had set The Shack aside for "more important" things (and that, I guess, would be the aggressive part).

But I'm finally almost done with The Shack (I finished Scalpel about a week ago) and I have to say, it's a great book. So, I guess if you want me to read a book, you just have to tell me that you've really enjoyed it. If you tell me I have to read it, somehow some weird mechanism kicks in and I resist. But if you tell me how much you loved the book, how much you got out of it, how much it made you think or react or whatever - well, I'll probably read the book. (I think they are both excellent books, by the way, and I have been very moved by both of them, sometimes to tears - even though one is fiction - The Shack - and the other is non-fiction).

So, I'm thinking about faith stuff ('cause that's what both books are about) and how traditional evangelism has been "You HAVE to believe in Jesus 'cause if you don't you'll go to hell" or whatever. And I think the better way is Jesus' way - showing what relationship with God is like in it's fullness. To tell people not that they have to believe (I think we ALL bristle at that, don't we?) but that believing has magnificently changed me.

Lori used to have these really intense conversations with a guy she worked with (are you reading this Steve?) and I think the fact that she never insisted that he believe what she believes and she never gave him a list of how and why he had to believe, but she only gave him a list of why she believes and how that has transformed her - and I know this is a run on sentence - I think THAT has had a deeper and more profound impact on him than any sermon or evangelist or pastor has ever had on him.

So, yeah, let me tell you about these books. They aren't systematic theology. They aren't the "be all and end all" statement about God. They are explorations in faith. Yeah, somebody's gonna say they're heresy or whatever. You know what? I don't think they are. They have really made me think about faith in a different way - and about the love of God in a more clear way - and I think my heart broke open and God used the books to repair some damage I caused in our relationship. And that's the REAL story, isn't it?