“The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Proverbs 12:18 (NIV)

Have you ever had a conversation with a Christian brother or sister and wondered to yourself if they were always saved? Of course you know it’s not possible since we were all born in sin, but by listening to them speak, there’s no way to tell that they were once a sinner like the rest of us and in need of a Savior.

I don’t know about you, but I never want to get to a point in my Christian life where I look at another person who is not a Christian and consider them unworthy or less than. Because truth be told, that person was me once upon a time. I may not have been doing the same things they’re doing, but I was still in need of salvation no matter how good or bad I thought I was.

Over the years, and especially of late, I’ve seen so many Christians metaphorically beat others over the head with the Bible, while basically damning them to hell. It’s as if they want these people to know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, just how sinful they truly are. I’ve even heard some defending their stance by saying they were not going to ‘sugar coat’ the Bible for anyone.

While I believe in my heart that we need to share God’s Word truthfully and not stray from it in any form for anyone; I also believe that the way in which we do so is important. As the saying goes, it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it. ^“But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ” Ephesians 4:15 (KJV)

As Christians sharing the Gospel, I believe that we should always start the conversation in love and not judgement. Have you ever had someone call you up with news and start with the worse part first? They’ll start off with something like, “Hey, I was just in a car accident,” and while you’re processing this information and trying to pick your heart up off the floor, they’ll continue “But I’m okay though, it was only minor.” You’ll probably be thinking to yourself, well gee why didn’t you start with that first?

I want you to think for a moment about the millions of people in our world today who, in their hearts have already condemned themselves to a life in hell. Those who believe that they are so vile, so worthless, so beyond redemption that they’ve resigned themselves to the false belief that there’s no hope for them. Now imagine us as believers going to those same people and bringing them, not a Gospel filled with hope, that there is a God who loves them in spite of everything they’ve done, but words re-emphasizing what they already feel about themselves.

True some might still listen, though halfheartedly, but others would probably be so turned off by our condemnation that we never get a chance to share the rest of the message with them; that the blood of Jesus can wash away even the darkest stain of sin.

While Jesus was here on earth, the message He shared, the parables He spoke, were all done with love and not condemnation. Sinners who encountered Him were never left feeling like the lowliest of human beings, but were left with hope and a path to righteousness: the woman caught in adultery, Zacchaeus the fraudster, the woman at the well who had many husbands, cursing Peter who later became one of the disciples, the sinful woman who wiped His feet with her hair, even the thief on the cross to whom He showed compassion and extended that final hope of salvation.

Society had a lot of judgment to pass on many of these people, but Jesus reached out to them with love and compassion. Truth be told, many of the people we encounter and share the Gospel with today, already know that they’re sinners, they don’t need us pointing our fingers at them in judgement and condemnation, they need us to show them the way to Jesus by sharing the message of hope and salvation from God’s Word. Graciously and without reproach. “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:6 (NIV).

As we share the Gospel with others that we meet, whether it be in person, or on the different social media platforms we use daily, may we be mindful of language and rhetoric that’s not only harsh but harmful as well; beating down on people who are already broken. Instead let us speak the truth in love, letting our words reflect God’s love and offering light and hope to the lost.