In the classic novel by CS Lewis called “The Screwtape Letters”, a demon is training his nephew in the art of tempting a human. His goal is to get the “patient” as he calls him, to move away from God and eventually end up in Hell.
One of his pieces of advice is, “if you can’t make him bad, make him busy.” We all know what that is like. We can get too busy, sometimes doing good things, to do the best things. Of course, the best things are the things God directs us to do, but when we find ourselves too busy for God, we find ourselves out of fellowship with Him.
That’s just one of Satan’s tricks. Another one is, “If you can’t make him bad, make him think he is bad. We call that shame. Or worse, condemnation. This is where we think we are too bad for God to forgive us.
Romans 8:1 says, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” And John 3:17 says, “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world though Him.”
So many of the men and women I talk to at our shelters are weighted down and convinced they have gone too far, or they have done too much for God to love them. It’s heartbreaking because I can’t imagine going through life without the assurance of His love for me. But the thoughts of being outside of His grace and mercy are real.
I’ve found that the best thing I can do is show them God’s love by loving them myself. Just telling them God loves them, without showing them is kind of like telling them ice crème tastes good without letting them taste it for themselves. Their image of God is many times filtered through us. We say we believe in God and His love. We better show it or we may be driving people away instead of drawing them closer to Him. Is it time for a little show and tell. Someone’s eternity may depend on it.
