Today I chatted with an atheist.
Sitting here at Starbucks, working on my blog devotionals, I noticed he was reading Karen Armstrong’s The Case For God.
I appreciated his honesty: He was an ardent atheist, but was concerned that he was becoming close-minded, so he was exploring perspectives on God’s existence.
Most of the books he read by Christians were shrill (his word) and negative, but this book was connecting for him, opening the possibility of God for him.

I found myself resonating with him, in an opposite way.
I also am concerned that I am being close-minded, that I need to listen to those who question or critique what I believe.
I tried reading Richard Dawkins book, The God Delusion, but I found it too sharp, too negative.
Which makes me wonder how we sound to others, are we coming across as too sharp, too negative?

The truth is the truth, either there is a God or there is not.
Either there are eternal consequences for our choices or there are not.
Either there is morality and justice and judgment, or there is not.
Either Jesus is the messiah or he is not.
I still believe in these things, and I believe there are good reasons to believe them.
But maybe we need to think carefully how we communicate these things, and how we relate to those who disagree with us.
I believe that the example of Jesus call us to love them, not call down fire on them.
I believe that following Jesus’ pattern, we need to engage them, listen to them, discern their heart and their journey, and speaking truth to them in love.

Anyway, it was an interesting conversation, and maybe the beginning of a cool relationship.
I will be praying that he does not influence me away from my faith and confidence in God and Jesus…
Too bad he can’t pray that I won’t influence him towards faith and confidence…
And my faith and confidence is that Jesus and His Spirit are on my side, and that they will be speaking to him further about these things!

Lord, protect me from error and lead me into truth. Protect him from error and lead him into truth. May we both discover the truth about You. May this conversation be a blessing to both of us.