The Cross: Ultimate love or foolishness?

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18

So many people.....so much to say.....so many are lost.....and I have the answer.....but most don't listen....their hearts are hard.

While I was in Chicago I met a man who I will never forget. His name was Michael.....he was playing the saxophone on the street corner.....I stopped to sing with him (it was an amazing thing to add the sound of my instrument to his, as both drifted into time and soon were lost in the faces, cars, buildings and waining light of the Chicago sky line.)

After a pleasant round of "My favorite things".....I asked him a question:

"Do you know Jesus?"

"Of course I do sweetheart." He replied without hesitation.

I didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed, I wanted to share Jesus with him. "Really? What is Jesus to you?"

"He's the universe....he's peace and all that is good. He was a good man who preached a good message and taught us how to redeem ourselves."

"That's not what the Bible says." I replied, "the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ died on a cross to pay for our sins, our wrong doings, because in and of ourselves we could never do enough good to cover for all the wrong we've done."


"Jesus Christ was a fool," he said, "if he died on that cross. No, that couldn't be it, he couldn't have done that, he wants us to redeem ourselves."

"How?"

"Through good works....if you kill a man, you must save one, if you steal, you must give back.....that's how you redeem yourself. Just look at the universe, buying and selling are the only ways to get anything. You can't get something for nothing. You must not believe in Jesus," he retorted, starting to get angry, "you believe in the Bible....you have your noes stuck in a book....you believe a lie....you've been decieved....you have no idea what you are talking about.....that's a nice fairy tale sweetheart, but it's not reality."

I melted on the inside. My heart broke. How could I explain my Jesus to this man? How do I explain the incredible love of Christ? All I could do was smile sweetly and all the sudden I heard myself ask him, "what is reality?"

"This is reality. You, me, Chicago, right now."

"Can you prove that?"

"No."

"Exactly, this is reality to you because it's what you've experienced. How can you tell me that what I've experienced is not reality, when you've never experienced it? You won't understand the reality of Jesus' love....a love that would drive him to do something foolish...like die on a cross for you and me...unless you see it in your own life. It takes a step of faith."

"Whatever....you're crazy.....that's not true...you probably read it in the Bible somewhere....peace girl, I'm done."

"Okay, thanks for talking to me, have a great evening."


The devil worshiper at Barnes and Noble.....Morris at work every morning....Johnny at the bus station.....and now Michael....all have one thing in common. They know of Jesus, but they don't believe in him. They believe in love, but they don't believe in redemption. They believe in the historical Jesus, but they don't believe in the Word. They believe that they have Jesus, but he MAKES NO DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIVES.

No fairy tale ending....no amazing conversion....like many of the other people I've talked to about Jesus, he'll accept Jesus as a good man, but not as savior....the Bible is a good book....but not something to be taken too seriously.

These basic concepts are things that my life is built on. They are the core of who I am, and they are the motivation behind much of what I do. How do I convey who Jesus is and how he can change them? Street evangelism is a hard thing. I don't like it...but I also can't stand walking past someone who is headed to Hell....as if everything is okay.

I guess it's not really my job to get frustrated....this is the Lord's work...he will see it completed...all I can do is offer myself as an instrument.