Sometimes we simply make things too complicated (note play on words). 🙂 That is especially true when we talk to people about Jesus.

I was reading this morning in Matthew 11. It starts with John’s question to Jesus. John is in a dungeon (and will soon be beheaded) and while languishing in that dungeon his despair got the best of him. He sent his disciples to ask Jesus if He was the One (the Messiah) they were expecting or should they keep on looking? While it would be easy to “get all over” John for his seeming lack of faith, Jesus does no such thing. Instead, He says, “‘Go back and tell him what you have heard and seen-the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.’ And He added, ‘God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.'” (verses 4-6) In other words, the proof is in the pudding. Jesus was indeed here and the works just described are proof. 

I’d like to “spiritualize” for a moment because I’m not sure this is a viable use of Scripture. As I said at the beginning, sometimes we make things way too complicated when talking to others about Jesus. Instead of laying out all the historical facts about Jesus; the cruel death on the cross proven by Roman historians; the historical truth of His resurrection; and proof He is the Messiah; and other subjects, unless they ask for all the above, the best proof we have is the proof of a changed life. Mine. Yours. Someone you know. “Once I was blind but now I see. Once I was lost but now I am found.” There is something beautiful about those simple words.

Don’t be too complicated when talking about Jesus. Share the simple story of a life changed by the marvelous grace of Jesus. People may be belligerent, and ready to argue even with the facts presented, but they can’t argue with a changed life. Not when it is staring right at them. That is the Good News people need to hear!