In this series, I have been trying to share with you some of my low points in disciple-making in the hope of saving you some grief and perhaps helping the Kingdom along the way.  This one is related to the first story in that not everyone sees the world as you do, but they are also not offended in the same way you might be.  This tale of woe is probably the worst one, and I don’t want to really admit it, but here goes.

Keen as mustard. I set off one day, and I tried one of my “tried and tested” methods with a very friendly Hindu man who was very keen to learn more about what I believed.  “Come in, spinner!” This one is going to be easy! He had only been in Australia for a very short time, and I was supplementing with the help of an interpreter for what he could not understand.  I was already organising a baptism date and location in my head as I led with one of the simplest gospel messages I know. We call it the “left-handed gospel."  You start with the thumb on your left hand and go down each finger, giving a creation to Christ as an as an account of their salvation.  I have had great success with it in the past.  Well, as soon as I started, things looked grim.  With each finger, he seemed to stew more.  Finally, he huffed off leaving me bewildered.  My interpreter was sheepish and would not broach the topic.  I was in the dark as to how I had offended him so badly?!

Here is the comprehensive analysis I conducted once I reached the core of the issue.

1. The left hand does not symbolize anything positive. It is used to wipe your bottom and is never used for any good.  Especially eating.  Gesturing or using it in any way is totally offensive.
2. The middle finger, which is offensive in Australia, was represented by the same use of the thumb. A “universal” symbol of good, approval, etc.
3. And the list went on. Even the use of the wedding ring as a symbol of commitment was useless, as women wear a mark on their forehead instead.

Everything was either meaningless to him or very offensive!  The gospel itself is already offensive in its nature to convict people; you don’t have to go out of your way to tick people off.  Needless to say, I prayed that someone else would meet him down the track and fix what I messed up.  But this is another happier story.

I have had other, less dramatic encounters as well.  I once was in a shopping centre fishing, and near us, a lady and a young girl sat down on a bench to rest for a little while.  They had seen us witnessing.  They had smiled and then sat within 3 metres of us.  Well, you didn’t have to paint a sign for me; over I went and started to engage.    Although polite, the lady became anxious and kept looking at the ground.  The girl was the same.  I thought that their consciences had been pricked, so I continued on.  I also attempted to befriend them and help them in any way that I could.  Every attempt just made things worse.  Yep, they were Muslim.  Oops, her husband was shopping, and they were not allowed to speak to me. Furthermore, I was making them very uncomfortable in the process.  I repeated this crime while door-knocking one day when a Jew answered the door.  Yep - slow learner.  To top these tales off, A long time ago, I decided to try my hand at door knocking. A little scared and unsure of what to do, I answered a door with, “Don’t worry, I’m not a ‘JW’!”  To which the terse reply was "Well, I am!!” as they slammed the door in my face.  That was my first ever door, by the way.

The two take-home messages are: 

1. Try to be tactful and thoughtful.  You don’t have to go and do 3 years of study at a cross-cultural mission to witness in your own country, but 30 minutes on Google might save you a lot of grief and someone’s life.
2. Secondly, these tales of woe were fairly early on in my attempts to witness and disciple people.  No matter what the preparation and care taken, everyone crashes and burns some time!  Don’t give up.  Learn and persevere.  Persistence is the greatest virtue if you care about people’s futures.  What if Christ had given up that night in the garden?  Where would you and I be today?

Step out in faith and boldness. Put on the full armour of God, and in everything, pray!

Keep running the good races, brothers and sisters.

Macka