We receive questions daily about evangelism and Jewish people and the Bible; it never ends. And we love answering real questions. Sometimes, of course, there are those who write a question and then send a five-page answer to their own query, which shows that it wasn’t a query at all. Then there are those who write or ring us with a series of 10-20 questions, almost without breath, not really asking, because there is no space to answer, and no matter what we answer, they already have their minds made up. OK, not a problem. We aren’t everyone’s answer people.
The Proverbs juxtapose two sentences that sound awfully contradictory.
"Do not answer a fool according to his folly or you will also be like him.
Answer a fool as his folly deserves that he not be wise in his own eyes." (Prov 26.4-50
"Do not answer a fool according to his folly or you will also be like him.
Answer a fool as his folly deserves that he not be wise in his own eyes." (Prov 26.4-50
Sometimes we should answer a fool to expose him and to help him with humility. Sometimes we should not answer a fool lest we end up banging our head against the proverbial wall and sounding as crazed as he is. Think of all those Facebook posts you wish you hadn’t engaged.
How do we choose?
“Can I ask you a question, boss?”
“Certainly,” the older executive replies.
“Do you have any advice for me today?” he asks.
The senior leader looks up from his paperwork and says, “Make good decisions.”
The newbie thinks this is great advice and begins to walk out. Then he asks a second question, “Excuse me, sir, how do I make good decisions?”
Without looking up, the senior group leader answers, “Experience.”
“Ah, that makes sense,” the younger executive answers and again makes his way towards the door. Then he pauses and turns, “Sorry, boss, one more question. How do I gain experience?”
Looking up from his computer, the senior draws a deep breath, and answers, “Bad decisions.”
We should learn from our mistakes. We should learn from the mistakes of others.
Wisdom helps us choose wisely, and wrong decisions in the past help inform us in these days so that we can choose more wisely this time.
Questions and platforms
Stand here!
Not every question needs to be answered, but some do! And the wiser we are, the earlier we evaluate and conclude not only what to answer, but how to answer.
The world gives us platforms that cannot be taken lightly. When the world says “What about…” or “Don’t you think that…” or “I’ve been hearing a lot about…” then those are opportunities to enter into a conversation that you can use to share the Gospel. They are platforms onto which you can and should stand, not to pulpit the other to death, or bludgeon them with Bible verses, but simply to continue the conversation with a more natural segue into spiritual thinking.
For instance, there are those, and we hear from them every Advent, who think that Jesus was born on 25 December. Others insist that he was born in the Israeli autumn around the Feast of Tabernacles. They even cite some Bible verses to back that up. One messianic leader has been making substantial claims about nativity being in April, around the time of the Passover.
Moishe Rosen, founder of Jews for Jesus, used to say “25 December is as good a day as any to celebrate His birth.” Look, we aren’t advocating one day above another (See Romans 14). We are advocating this: When the world gives us a platform to talk about Jesus, to invite our neighbor to our church carols event, to discuss the reason for the season… let’s step on that platform and proclaim like the angels and the shepherds who sang, “Glory to God in the Highest” and “Let us go to Bethlehem” to meet Him. And to help others to meet Him as well.
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