Magician/atheist Penn Jillette once asked a brilliant question. “If you believe there is a heaven and hell, and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life or whatever, and you think it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward… How much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate someone to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?” Jillette gave this example to further make his point: “If I believed, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that a truck was coming at you, and you didn’t believe it, that that truck was bearing down on you, there’s a certain point that I tackle you, and this (missing out on eternal life) is more important than that (getting killed by a truck).”
In Matthew 13 Jesus relates several parables to explain the Kingdom of Heaven and who will find their way there. Matthew 13:51-52, “Have you understood all these things” Jesus asked. “Yes,” they (the disciples) replied. He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” Followers are required to bring out their spiritual treasures and share with others the eternal truths that God has made known to them. We all have busy lives, but we are told to look for and share the gospel with people who do not believe in Jesus.
Jesus' storeroom of treasure parable supports atheist Jillette. A Christian’s goal should not be to simply pursue a happy healthy life in this world until called to heaven. God wants us to engage and love others, investing our time and resources (our storeroom treasure) on this earth to encourage those who have been put in our lives to turn to Jesus for salvation and to walk faithfully with Him. By sharing Jesus, we are tackling those who are in the path of Satan's truck.
How do you tackle someone who does not see the Satan truck coming? The most important thing we can do is pray. Pray for wisdom for yourself to find the right words to share Jesus and to do it kindly and with respect. Pray that God will open eyes so that those in the truck path see it coming and get out of the way. Pray that God will soften hearts so that those in the truck path feel God's love, become captured by who He is, and jump out of the path of the truck.
Believers, be ready to boldly share your faith to those in the path who are reaching out their hand, showing some interest in being rescued. Faith comes from hearing about faith. Be ready to explain why you read, what you have learned from and how you try to follow God's word. What does your new life look like because you found faith?
And finally, don't be a hypocrite and play in front of the Satan truck yourself. If you want to pull people from the path of the Satan truck, let them see all the changes God made in you once you got out of the path. Ultimately, it will be God's power and grace that saves those in the path.
When confronting the Satan truck, this meme seems appropriate:
It's not our job to convert people. It's not our job to save people. It's not our job to convict people. It's not our job to convince people. It is our job to tell people. The convincing, convicting, converting, and saving is the work of the Holy Spirit.
Ignoring the Satan truck does not make it go away. God might be asking you to take a rejection risk, extend your hand and give a big pull. Go tell of this fully human, fully God figure named Jesus.
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