Winning hearts, not twisting arms

Some more thoughts on Christians values and culture, this time from Charles Colson in the February 2006 Christianity Today. I love the subtitle, "Changing the law isn't enough."

To change the culture, therefore, we must learn how to engage the political process more winsomely. It will require a different mindset. We'll need to recognize that we're appealing to hearts and minds, not twisting arms. In fact as well as in appearance, we are not seeking to impose, but rather to propose. We're not demanding something for ourselves; we are inviting a hungry and needy world to come to Christ and find goodness and fullness of life. The Christian church makes a Great Proposal, inviting everyone to the table—regardless of ethnic origin, background, or economic status. We're inviting people to consider a worldview that's livable, that makes sense, in which people can discover shalom and human flourishing.

This means, first, loving those we contend against in the political process. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Whom you would change, you must first love."

Comments

[Arthur]

I once sent you a quote, which I now can't find but consider pertinent. I also forget the exact wording, or even to whom it should be attributed, but it went something like this: "Moral indignation doesn't change hearts. Mercy and Grace do." Or something like that. "Whom you would change, you must first love." I like that.... must remember it.

[george]

I just read Colson's book, Being the Body, tons of great stuff in it. I love reading books of people who were once alienated from God, but who God has changed totally and is using big time. Colson is definitely one of those guys, Prison Fellowship is in over 80 countries now. For Colson, as it should be for all of us, its all about sharing the Gospel, its all about pointing people to Jesus Christ. That's got to be the number one priority in any Christian ministry.