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July 2 It’s All in the delivery

Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.
The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction. Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it, but folly brings punishment to fools. A wise man’s heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction. ~Proverbs 16:20-23
 
Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him! O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious He will be when you cry for help! As soon as He hears, He will answer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more. With your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” ~Isaiah 30:18-21
 
“Pleasant words promote instruction.” It’s all in how you say it. This is something that we learn as parents. When we give instructions with a stern voice, or condescension, we raise the defenses of our child, or pupil, ensuring that instruction will be resisted, and possibly rejected. When we can be pleasant, or even make the learning experience fun and enjoyable, we are far more likely to be heeded! Though, at times, this is hard to do. We struggle with this now as we try to encourage Maddie to practice her schoolwork. Trying to keep that fun or enjoyable is a challenge, let me tell you!
 
“A wise man’s heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction.” The task is to discern, how do we promote instruction? “To promote” is similar to “to advertise.” How do we make what we know so attractive that others want to learn what we have to say? 
 
Advertisers do this really well. They paint a negative picture of what your life is now. Then, they cast a vision of what your life could be, with their help! They’re hoping you will respond with, “How can I resist!” 
 
I do realize that advertising isn’t necessarily the greatest model for us to use for our message. Advertising is known for promising more than their product can truly deliver. Our message is the truth, without hype. And yet some do falsely advertise. Those who preach the gospel with the promise that all problems will be solved and there will be no more suffering or struggle, do a real disservice to the true gospel message. 

On the other hand, Jesus said: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first.” (John 15:18) Now that’s truth in advertising. Yet, people are attracted to Jesus. Perhaps because they sense in Him the real thing and the real thing, or the truth, is needed more than anything today. And Jesus did describe the difference between how they are living now and how they could be living if they believed the gospel. Think of the beatitudes.
 
So, again, our task is, how to introduce them to Jesus, to promote Him, without letting our sinful nature get in the way and block His goodness? Perhaps it helps when you remember what attracted you. “Pleasant words promote instruction.” Smiles help. “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you. He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!” 

The opposite end of the spectrum from the prosperity gospel is the “hell fire and brimstone gospeI.” I’m not saying hell doesn’t really exist. The problem is that too often, we have promoted a God of justice, meaning judgment, trying to scare people into the kingdom with warnings of doom and gloom and the certainty of hell’s fire for those who do not toe the line. Many in the church have forgotten to emphasize the Lord’s great Love and provision for us. His grace and compassion are coupled with His justice. I believe that in many cases the church has failed in its evangelism task when it has promoted the God of judgment and minimized the God of grace and compassion. 
 
I’m thinking again of the passage that I placed at the end of the devotional yesterday. Here it is again. “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness. When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:35-37) Does it sound like Jesus saw the lost as people who needed to hear of God’s judgment? They will learn of His judgment. However Paul tells the Romans: “God’s kindness leads you toward repentance.” (Romans 2:4B) 

I believe that we are all attracted more by kindness than criticism and condemnation. “The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction.” Pleasant words and kindness come from the heart of the wise and promote instruction by attracting others to what they have to say.
 
After they have been won over to Christ, through the knowledge of His love, then they feel safe to admit to and repent of their sin. After that, they have a lifetime, just as we do, to learn how to walk with Him. “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” We are all listening for a voice that we have learned to trust to guide us in His paths of righteousness. I’m sure that it is a kind voice, spurring us on to victory.
 
Prayer: Father, thank you, for your kindness! Your love is amazing! Thank You for the invitation to promote the Gospel with the truth. Help me to express your love faithfully, and accurately reflect your image in my behavior and attitude. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Song: You Are More 

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