Many times when you enter a chatroom or engage people in other online communities to share your faith you meet opposition. People are not “nice” when you try to share your faith at times. This lesson will examine our response in situations such as this.
Opposition is something all Christians will face at one time or another. Our natural reaction is to defend ourselves or the Jesus we seek to share. But is this the best way to handle opposition? Or is there a better way to deal with those who seem to be out to prove you wrong or attack you?
The best way to handle opposition is not to. “Huh?” you say. Let’s look at it a bit closer.
What is the opposition you are facing? Usually when you are trying to share the Gospel you find people who are unreceptive. They don’t want to hear you because others have come before you who have sought to bash them over the head with their Bibles. Or they have been hurt by people in the church. Or they are so deceived by their current lifestyle that they want to lash out at you instead of listening. They lash out and fight back. They attack you for what you believe, call you names, say you are brainwashed and can’t think for yourself, etc.
So what do you do? Do you lash back, defend yourself and justify your actions?
The best thing to do is to respond out of love. Continue to share with them but in such a loving manner that they can’t say “That Christian guy who was trying to tell me about his Jesus was such an idiot, trying to force his beliefs on me… if that is what being a Christian is about then I don’t want it!”
If you have to walk away from them after sharing then do so. Say “Thank you for letting me share and if you have any further questions you can contact me at…” And leave. And pray. Pray for the seeds that were planted, that they would be watered and come to grow.
The most important thing to remember is don’t argue with them. Don’t lower yourself to their level and argue and fight back. That is not what love is all about. If they want to argue don’t. Don’t do it. Try to share and if they are unreceptive still then walk away and let God do the rest.
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