Daddy, where does understanding come from??

“Yeah… I know Jesus died for me. I’ve heard it a million times. Now go away.”

Why do we work so hard to share Christ when people tell us they have already heard it? And if they have already heard it, then why aren’t they living for Him?

The Bible says, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32).

Ok, so if the Bible says it will set you free, then why isn’t it setting people free???

Becauuuuusseeeeee, the truth won't set you free if you don’t understand it. Example!!! A key is a useless object to one who doesn't know how to open a lock. Like a key, the truth will do nothing without the understanding behind it.

I think it's safe to assume that a majority of the people in the United States have heard of Jesus in one way or another and have already decided to either live for Him or for themselves. But if you truly understand what Jesus did for you, could you really not make the choice to live for Him??? Hardly.

Honestly, if you know what Jesus did for you, then why the heck aren't you living for Him??? There must be some sort of miscommunication here... Our commission is to tell the world about Jesus and make disciples of the nations… but what do we do we if they have already heard and still aren’t movin? I guess our commission is more than just giving people the truth. It’s helping them understand the truth.

Ughh… that sounds hard. How do we do that?

Understanding comes from asking, listening, learning, loving and trusting the Holy Spirit.

Understanding comes from asking. "What do you know about Jesus?" Listening and learning what they know about Jesus helps us get an idea where their understanding falls short. Understanding doesn't come from throwing answers at people, it comes from learning why they believe what they believe, then giving them some truth, building on what they already know, and filling in gaps. This might be a long process, so get yourself a big cup of patience and get comfy.

Also, understanding comes from looking beyond actions into the intentions. If we can look at why people do the things they do, with a little wisdom, we can make the proper response. Assuming that everyone sins for the same reason is common, but silly. If someone drinks because they are bored... easy! give 'em a TobyMac CD. But how would we know they were bored if we assumed something else and didn’t even ask? Assuming blocks understanding. How do we know what to do without first understanding the situation?

Soooooo, if we want someone to understand, then we need to first understand why they don’t understand and then we can help them understand what they don’t understand. And then once they understand, then the Holy Spirit will convict them, help them to believe and then hopefully they will live for Jesus:] Understand?

Understanding comes from understanding. Understanding lets truth set us free.

Thank you, God for being the truth that sets us free. Help us to understand better so we can help others understand better. Help us to be teachers and tutors of your truth and lead people into your loving arms of freedom. Help us to listen to and love others just like you do. Amen.