Recently I was reminded by a good friend and long-time Momentum Europe Partner of a very provocative question he has often asked his friends who don’t yet know Jesus. Acknowledging their success and giftedness in planning and then achieving their life goals, my friend will say something to them like, “You’ve put in a lot of time and effort preparing for the last 30 years of your life. Now, I’d like to ask how much time and effort you’ve spent preparing for the second after your life ends?”
That is a great question, isn’t it? A provocative one for sure. Yet asked in the context of a trusting relationship and out of genuine concern for a friend, God often uses such a question to open doors to a great spiritual conversation.
Several years ago I was asked by my seatmate on a flight to Austin, what I did for a living. In a moment of divine inspiration, I replied that I was “working on a plan for the spiritual awakening of Europe as that was the most strategic thing I could do to help with the war on terror.” Wow, did that elicit a reaction! You could see his brow furrow as he tried to digest my answer. He closed his computer, looked me in the eye and said, “Now tell me again, what do you do?” That led to an hour-long meaningful conversation about knowing Jesus personally.
I find that it’s pretty easy to share Christ with someone who is “down on their luck” because their need is so obvious. But sharing Christ with the well-off takes more thought. I get to hang out with people who are really good at asking thoughtful questions and I’m learning how to do it better. But it takes some forethought and preparation.
Jesus never hesitated in being provocative when the situation called for it. By His grace, nor should we.
What’s your provocative thought today?