A Chicken Sandwich Does Not Equal Evangelism

It is a day after the Support Chick-fil-A day. According to reports from those that participated in this day and news reports that covered it some people waited in lines that were an hour and a half to two hours long to support this company and the stance that it’s founder took. I am glad people wanted to take a stand in support of traditional view of marriage. I agree with the founder’s stance and don’t think it is inherently wrong to support a company or organization who takes a stand for something that you agree with. But I do fear that this support Chick-fil-A day can easily get twisted in our minds as to what we were taking a stand for and what impact it had. I think a lot of people took part in this appreciation day for this company because they felt they were taking a stand for Jesus. But I want to remind you that buying a chicken sandwich does not equal evangelism and supporting a company whose founder took a stand for the family values that you agree with is not fulfilling the great commission. Don’t get so wrapped up in an issue that has become politicized that you forget to share the truth of what Christ has done. What if everyone who showed up to the Chick-fil-A appreciation day shared the Gospel of Jesus with someone who is lost? What if instead of us being obsessed with issues like this we became obsessed with sharing the gospel to a world full of people who are dying and going to hell because they do not believe in Jesus Christ? This is not a criticism of the people who participated in the Chick-fil-A events yesterday. I just wanted to remind us all of our calling to share the gospel with the lost. The beauty of the gospel needs to be shared in words not just the support of a company who believes what we believe.

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” Romans 10:13-15

Entitlement?

“And he paid homage and said, ‘What is your servant that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?’” --2 Samuel 9:8 King David wants to find someone from the house of Saul that he can “show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake” and he finds out about Mephibosheth one of Jonathan’s sons who is crippled. David has him brought in tells him that because of Jonathan he will always show him kindness and that he will have a place at David’s table like one of the king’s sons. Mephibosheth’s response is self-abasing which is the part of the story that grabbed my attention today as I read it. This is a grandson of Saul. The grandson of a former king refers to himself as a “dead dog.” If there was to be someone who might have entitlement issues you might think it would be him, however he tells David that he isn’t worthy of the treatment that David is giving him. Today as I thought about his response I felt like that is the response that I should have toward God and toward Christ. It doesn’t take much for me to start to feel entitled; especially in God’s approval of me and his choosing me. I start to feel like I deserve the grace that has been extended to me which of course wouldn’t be grace if I deserved it. In my pride I feel like I deserve more praise and recognition. What a sinful response that is. There is nothing that I can do on my own without Jesus Christ. Jesus tells us this in John 15:5. I need to be reminded of this regularly and when I look to the grace that is extended to me my response should be the same as Mephibosheth’s response to David. “What is your servant that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?” Thank you Father for choosing me, loving me and using me; all in spite of me.