How To Actually Share Faith With Prodigals

 

EXCERPT FROM “CROSSROADS” –

“And why doesn’t Chloe live with her mother?”

Carter shrugged, reliving painful memories, doing all he could to get the words out and hopefully protect his heart from further collateral damage. “When I got back from my second tour in Afghanistan, Chloe’s mom told me she wanted out of the marriage. Said she was tired of being a military widow. Two months later, she and Chloe showed up on my doorstep with all of Chloe’s belongings.” He hesitated and slid suddenly sweaty palms down his thighs. “Guess after all the years she took care of Chloe on her own, it was my turn.” His brain whizzed through possible ways to lead into his belief that Mara needed to focus more on Ashton than her career, but the jumbled words in his head wouldn’t cooperate and settle into cohesive thoughts.

A grim look settled on Mara’s face, her lips flat and pinched. And surprisingly, her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “That’s hard.” The words barely came out, and when they did were charged with thick emotion. “But that’s life, isn’t it?” This time heavy cynicism coated her statement.

His intuition went on full alert. “So that’s why you’re opposed to church.”

A snort-like laugh sounded. “You mean religion.”

“No, I mean a faith-based relationship with God. There’s a huge difference.”

“Well, since you brought it up, we might as well get this little conversation out of the way.” Mara didn’t look at him, and her voice had taken on a hardened edge. “Just so you know, I was raised in the church. My father was a preacher who uprooted us every few months before the people of the church ran him out of town on a rail. I’ve had to fight tooth and nail to get where I am today. Life for me has been far from a fairy-tale. Now I’m on my own with a five-year-old, and the last thing I need is someone trying to shove his beliefs down my throat.” She finished the monologue with her left elbow on the car door and leaned her head against her fist, her lips turned down at the corners.

The air inside the car went from balmy to icicle-sharp in a heartbeat. How was he supposed to answer? Obviously she’d grown up in the faith, but the enemy had dealt her faith a fatal blow. Or maybe even several. “Sounds like a pretty pessimistic outlook on life to me.”

“Yeah, well, what you call pessimism I call realism.” She steered the Caddy into the weedy front yard of their next house, threw the gearshift into park, and killed the engine.

Carter kept his gaze and attention focused on Mara’s hardened features, all the while praying for wisdom. “You may think you’re being realistic, Mara. But I think you’re an idealist who’s had her dreams crushed one too many times.”

“There you go with those opinions again.” Now she glared at him, open hostility oozing from every pore of her face.

“Ease up. I’m not trying to start some kind of theological debate.”

She lowered her head. “Sure could’ve fooled me.”

“Trust me. I hate an intellectual-type debate of any kind because I stink at it.” Embarrassing memories from high school debate class flooded his mind, but Carter pushed them away and scrounged for words to distill the charged air. “I think we just need to change the subject.”

“I thought you’d never ask.” Mara yanked on her door handle and scooted from the car. The door slammed behind her.

Suddenly world-weary and sure of very little, Carter climbed from his side of the SUV and focused for the first time on the dilapidated house in front of them.

“I guess I should’ve come to see this one before I brought you out here.”

Mara’s quietly-spoken words were an understatement if he’d ever heard one. Though the surrounding countryside was nothing short of spectacular, the house she’d chosen to show him looked more like a shipwreck.

The perfect analogy for Mara’s shipwrecked faith.

It’s intimidating, isn’t it?

As I considered writing this post on how to share faith with prodigals (the spiritual theme of CROSSROADS), fear clawed its way into my throat, and uneasy discomfort lodged in my brain.

For introverts like me, verbally sharing my faith is difficult all the time, but especially so when dealing with prodigals.

By definition, prodigals are those who have wandered from the faith. Sharing our relationship with Christ with these people is scary because prodigals often know more than we do. Their arguments challenge our belief systems and pinprick our courage. And their questions are difficult to answer because…well, because sometimes we struggle with the same unanswered questions.

But that doesn’t mean we have permission to give up on them.

Don’t give up on prodigals. Share your faith. More here>>>
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Below are three points about how to share faith with prodigals.

Share Faith With Prodigals – Love Unconditionally

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. ~1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (NIV)

Unconditional love for the prodigals in our lives will do far more good in winning them back to Christ, than argumentative words and haughty attitudes.

Yes, we are to be bold, and that often means not mincing words. But nowhere in God’s Word are we told to be disrespectful. In fact the opposite is true. We are to be gentle and respectful of those who question our faith (1 Peter 3:15).

Share Faith With Prodigals – Pray Persistently

“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” ~Luke 6:27-28 (NIV)

Many times–because of some past event for which they blame God–prodigals are antagonistic and persecutory toward believers, especially when believers take a stand for their faith.

But my life is proof that persistent prayer pays off. Prayer has the power to change situations and people in ways we can’t even begin to fathom.

Part of unconditional love is perseverance, and persevering in prayer for prodigals is part of our purpose on this planet.

Persevering in prayer for prodigals is part of our purpose on this planet.
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Share Faith With Prodigals – Persevere in All Ways

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ~Galatians 6:9 (NIV)

According to the parable of Jesus in Luke 15:11-32, prodigals have gone to a “far country,” separated and distant from our loving heavenly Father. They are pursuing their own desires rather than the perfect plan of God.

If we persevere in love, prayer, and doing good for these prodigals, we can and will reap a harvest of faith in their lives. Why? Because all earthly paths eventually reach a dead end. When we continue to love, pray, and do good, these prodigals will have a vivid picture of just how much God loves them.

While we might not be privy to the return of these prodigals, we can rest assured that God loves them even more than we do, that He will do whatever it takes in His Supreme Power to bring them back, and that He waits patiently with arms open wide.

Keep loving. Keep praying. Keep doing good. A prodigal’s eternal destiny depends on it.

Keep loving, praying, doing good. A prodigal’s eternal destiny depends on it.
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I can think of no more relevant topic for our time than sharing our faith with prodigals. Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

PERTINENT LINKS:

Crossroads Book Trailer

The Story Behind the Story of Crossroads (video)

PROOF: How Do You Know the Bible is True? (video)

PROOF: Does God Really Exist? (video)

PROOF: Why Does God Allow Evil? (video)

PROOF: Does God Really Care About Us? (blog post)

PROOF: Who Is This Jesus? (blog post)

PROOF: After This, Then What? (blog post)

PROOF: Not Just Good…Transformed (blog post)

PROOF: The Proof of Persecution (blog post)

PROOF: It All Comes Down to Faith (blog post)

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