John Fischer The Catch

Sorry about the late arrival of the Catch today, but you are glad you didn’t get the first version. I was about to send it out when I thought it might be good to run it by Marti. (If ever this seems like a good idea, it’s usually because I have some subliminal doubts I am unwilling to uncover and know she will have no problem digging them up. Sure enough…)

The Catch I began was in reaction to some concerns one of our readers had from yesterday’s Catch about listening to people’s stories: “It seems to me that most people are not concerned about their ‘sins,’ but simply want to do their thing without harming anyone else. So … if that’s true then what will lead them to want to put on the parachute of salvation? They think we use religion as a crutch. They don’t need religion because they are doing good more than those that go to church. How do we witness if we are simply passive? On the other hand I truly believe no one cares what you believe until they know you care. See my conundrum?”

I began by trying to answer each of these issues until I realized I was not solving the problem. The answer does not lie in solving each of these problems, but in finding a completely different perspective that make these issues irrelevant.

When it comes down to it, you really only need to know two things when you are in the marketplace.

You are “them.” (“They” are us.) Connect. Enter in. Climb in the other person’s shoes. This is not a tactic. It is not strategic witnessing. It is not a means to an end. It is the end; the end is loving your neighbor as you love yourself. Of course you will need to get out of yourself to do this. Out of yourself, and into the Spirit.

Which is the second thing. Be in the Spirit when you are in the world. Being led of the Spirit answers every question that comes up. The Spirit shows you what to say and when to say it. It sees around corners; it knows what’s under and behind the questions; it interprets the heart. When you are in the Spirit, tactics and strategies fly out the window.

Here’s how you know you are not in the Spirit: you are by yourself, aware of yourself, wondering what to do with yourself. Here’s how you know you are in the Spirit: You are into the other person — enjoying them, laughing or crying with them, feeling their pain, hearing their heartbeat, and not even aware of your own needs, like Jesus was with the Samaritan woman. The disciples had brought him food from town and were urging Him to eat. He was too taken up with what the Father was doing in and through Him at the time to give even a glancing thought to His human hunger. “I have food to eat that you know nothing about” (John 4:32) He said.

Our reader’s most poignant question was, “How do we witness if we are simply passive?” Excellent question. The answer is: We don’t.

As a career Christian, there was an important aspect to the Christian life that was always a big part of our faith — at least, it was supposed to be. Most of us, however, experienced a good deal of guilt and apprehension about it, mostly because we were not doing anything about it aside from being forced into it periodically. I’m talking about what was commonly called “witnessing.” Witnessing was sharing your faith with others who were not Christians, to the end that they might want to become a Christian, too. Witnessing was right up there with reading your Bible, praying, and going to church, as the Big Four every Christian had to do.

It is surprising to me how much of these attitudes (guilt and apprehension) are still alive today. I spoke last weekend to a group of college students and adults who exhibited similar fears and hang-ups about sharing their faith with others. So I surprised them by telling them not to witness. “Whatever you do,” I said, “don’t witness. Don’t save anyone.” Instead I held up the program that carried a saying for the day — “Every face has a story” — and told them that instead of witnessing, I wanted them to do something they’ve loved to do ever since they were little children. Listen to stories. That’s it.

Hear the story, fall in love with the teller of the story (this won’t be hard to do), and the Holy Spirit will do the rest. That’s my take on witnessing.

A lot happens when you listen to someone’s story. You get to know them and appreciate them; and when you truly hear someone’s story, and they know they were heard, that says that you care enough to listen. And that says a lot. It’s the way a relationship is born, and as in any relationship, at the right time, you will tell your story, too.

“Tell me your story.” It’s such a simple thing that can go a long, long way. I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t want to tell his or her story to someone who truly wants to hear it.

But you’d better get busy. There are lots of stories out there waiting to be heard. So many stories! So little time!