Are You

Are You?

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”
 Matthew 10:16
Jesus knew what kind of world we were going into. He understood that the world we entered would be one with morals and beliefs that were objectionable to the Christian.
Take a look at the Roman Empire. It was as culturally diverse as Canada and the Western nations are today.
They had people who believed everything and nothing. People who worshipped what to the early Christians were strange Gods.
There were raucous celebrations that lasted days to god’s such a Bacchus. In Corinth there was temples to the goddess Aphrodite that at its height had over a thousand priestess prostitutes working there.
Corinth had such a bad reputation that to Corinthianize meant to practice sexual immorality.
Yet the early church thrived in that multicultural environment. They did so I believe because they heeded the words of Jesus who said,
“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” 
      Matthew 10:16
They were careful to keep on topic. They didn’t judge they met people where they were at. They spoke the language of the people.
We know from Paul’s speech to the Athenians that Paul at least didn’t use a lot of scripture and Paul was well educated in the scriptures.
Instead he met them where they were at and presented the gospel from that point.
That’s how we should be.
We should have a good grasp of the scriptures but we should also be aware of what is happening in the world around us.
I’ve met Christians that all they do is listen to Christian programming. They rap themselves in the scriptures. There is nothing wrong with it. But if you can’t relate those scriptures to the real world around you. It means nothing.
Most people on the street will not and for the most part cannot relate to scripture but if you can as Paul did with the Athenians start from a point they understand they will at least listen to you.
How do you witness. Do you quote great mounds of scripture or do you at least try to understand where your audience is.
Think about it.