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A quick hit for a Friday...

You are not going to be the vessel God uses to save everyone you meet who doesn't know Christ.

I know that can be hard to accept...and it runs against the teachings that some Christian groups want to try and make you think that way...but you are not going to be the vessel that saves everyone. You might just be the watering can to dip onto a seed that's already been there that will grow and be harvested at a later time.

Remember in 1 Corinthians 3:6-8 (ESV) when Paul writes "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor"? We are all one in the purpose of sharing Christ with the world but within that each of us has different duties like planting or watering the seeds. You cannot be angry if God wants you watering for a while instead of planting or picking the ripe fruit.

So when you're faced with someone who just refuses to listen to the truth of Christ don't feel like you have to keep debating the matter with this person.  Take, for example, someone who considers themselves to be really "logical" and set themselves up as if they're more intelligent than you because you're professing Christ as truth.  Often these people will get very elitist and condescending toward you.  They'll say how arrogant you are for speaking about Jesus and his truth because in their world of sliding truth they can't handle not being able to change the definition of "truth" to meet their means. 

Don't get angry or frustrated.  Remember that in 1 Corinthians 1:18 Paul wrote "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."  You'll find different levels of resistance to those who want to consider the truth of Christ folly and sometimes it's better to just present the truth and walk away to leave them stew in their self-righteousness and arrogant judgment of you. 

Don't be sucked back into debates with them by their charges that you're being arrogant or that you're giving Christians a bad name.  While there are times you could be doing that, realize that these are just tools used by many intelligent people who despise Christ and despise Christians to attack and belittle.  They're not interested in actual discussion...they just want to attack you and the faith all the more.  When you realize that not every battle is yours to fight and win...rather, it's all God's battle and we're just different parts of it...you feel a freedom to just say "have a nice day" and walk away. 

Pray and ask the Lord when it's time to fight and when it's time to walk away and let someone else come along to water the seed or harvest.   Once you realize it's not your responsibility to save the world...just be available any time God needs you as His hands, feet, mouth or fingers...you can truly be free to share Christ without fear.