Yesterday I went to Heartbreakers in Uptown to find a “dress for less,” for a friend’s wedding. Luckily for me, I succeeded, now I just have to find the accessories, darned dresses and their accessories.
Anyway, last night’s obstreperous storm succeeded in causing the traffic lights on Hennepin and Lake to malfunction – so that they only blinked red, requiring pedestrians and traffic to act as if they were stop signs.
This does not work on Hennepin and Lake. Why? Because the cars seem to forget about the pedestrians, or remember and take revenge upon them for all the times the flashing person light called them to halt and wait for the silly walkers. So each time I crossed that intersection (which totaled four) I was literally running for my life, dodging oncoming bright lights on the shiny, rain-soaked road like I was competing in an Olympic obstacle course. Personally, I find that’s enough excitement for one day. However, as I prepared to cross the street for the last time that night, I saw another obstacle awaiting me on the other side: Three men in “Jesus Saves,” t-shirts, with big leather-bound Bibles.
Don’t get me wrong here people; hopefully you know I’m a Christian and really do believe Jesus saves, but still, I am acutely disturbed by men like this standing on the corner. I just don’t really think, that they are doing much good. I mean, if even I want to avoid them, how much more do people who don’t share my faith feel the urge to start talking to no one at all on their cell phones as they walk by. Plus, don’t you think that passer-bys will add the three conspicuous men to their list of “reasons why I want nothing to do with Christianity.” Even if one person is helped by these guys, don’t you think more will be hindered? Or not? I could be wrong, and God knows I don’t want to be blasphemous or encumbering to the faith. I’ve just never heard of the following situation occurring:
Guy 1: Hey guys! I believe in Jesus now!
Guy 2: What? Why?
Guy 1: Because I saw three guys on the street corner with black and white shirts that say Jesus Saves!
Ummm… I don’t know, maybe it works for some people. I just feel that today’s culture, esp. the culture in Uptown, is more reluctant to embrace an unwelcome conversion attempt, but maybe it gets them thinking. I prefer to share my faith relationally – or any other way than wearing those shirts – but maybe I’m just being cowardly. Thoughts anyone, thoughts?
BTW: Did you notice how many GRE words I included in this? Score.
5 comments:
Nice GRE words, I did notice. In order to help you prepare for the GRE I'm going to point out that passer-bys should be passers-by. It one of those silly ones.
Hmm, evanglism... an interesting though popped into my head, if Jesus had come now and traveled to uptown, what would he do, what would he say, who would he talk to?
I don't know - that is a good point. Do you think he would wear a shirt that says "I save" and stand on the corner?
I have no idea what he would do. That is a good thought.
I would ask: why is it that these people are trying to accomplish by doing this? Simply communicate that they believe that Jesus saves, or are they trying to persuade others to believe this? And if it is the second, then I would ask, WHY did you choose this as the way to communicate the message of Christ, why do you think this can be effective? Who knows... maybe they saw a guy in a black shirt that said "you're a sinner and Jesus can save you" and they believed. But somehow, I doubt it.
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