Talking to Family Members About Abortion and the Gospel

WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.600 --> 00:00:05.799 I Am Yours, I am yours, I am yours, s and me, 2 00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:10.949 Lord, I am yours. Welcome to the Gospel Center Pro Life Podcast, 3 00:00:11.189 --> 00:00:13.789 and this episode me and Vicky are going to talk about how to share 4 00:00:13.830 --> 00:00:17.670 your pro life used and the Gospel with family members that might not agree with 5 00:00:17.789 --> 00:00:33.740 you. Stay tuned. I felt show passish touch your heart. All Right, 6 00:00:33.820 --> 00:00:37.609 welcome to the Gospel Center pro life podcast. We're going to do a 7 00:00:37.689 --> 00:00:43.490 little, I mean maybe not so heavy, little lighthearted episode here. Might 8 00:00:43.570 --> 00:00:45.929 get heavy, though. We're getting into the word, the word of got 9 00:00:46.009 --> 00:00:48.969 US heavy. But we're going to talk about how to how to talk with 10 00:00:49.170 --> 00:00:53.280 your friends and family members. You know, it's the holiday season. It's 11 00:00:54.039 --> 00:01:00.840 thanksgivings coming up, Christmas then and Hanaka. I guess if you celebrate Honaka 12 00:01:00.520 --> 00:01:06.269 or whatever, boxing day. Of course that's a big day college. Yeah, 13 00:01:06.310 --> 00:01:08.909 big holiday for those Canadians up here. But either way you're going to 14 00:01:08.950 --> 00:01:14.310 be around family, maybe family members that you don't see very often, and 15 00:01:14.590 --> 00:01:17.989 people who don't agree with you, people who don't embrace your values, in 16 00:01:18.109 --> 00:01:19.659 your views. And in particular we're going to be talking about the issue of 17 00:01:19.659 --> 00:01:23.420 abortion, but I think of course the larger issue is talking about Jesus, 18 00:01:25.019 --> 00:01:27.180 Sharing The Gospel with your family members. So we're just going to go into 19 00:01:27.299 --> 00:01:33.010 some principles of how to do that, how to share your prolife values, 20 00:01:33.090 --> 00:01:37.569 how to share the value that you believe God's word tells us of of the 21 00:01:37.769 --> 00:01:41.170 unborn baby. And you might have a family member, as I do and 22 00:01:41.290 --> 00:01:45.849 Vicky do as well, or maybe several family members that that don't agree that 23 00:01:46.209 --> 00:01:49.439 you know abortion should be legal, think that abortion is a woman's right to 24 00:01:49.480 --> 00:01:53.319 choose. So how do you talk to those people in a way that honors 25 00:01:53.359 --> 00:01:57.560 the Lord, in a way that's effective, about your values as a Christian 26 00:01:57.920 --> 00:02:02.109 and, in particular, about the issue of abortion? And as we were 27 00:02:02.150 --> 00:02:07.189 talking through this podcast and talking through this subject, one scripture really just stuck 28 00:02:07.229 --> 00:02:10.069 out as we talked about it, and it's that first Peter Scripture. And 29 00:02:10.110 --> 00:02:14.110 so what we're going to do is is we're going to go through this verse 30 00:02:14.270 --> 00:02:17.819 sort of systematically, because there's some really good principles. God's Word is awesome, 31 00:02:19.020 --> 00:02:22.099 it is, and given us these just basic principles. There's a lot 32 00:02:22.259 --> 00:02:25.020 to God's word is there's a lot of depth there, but there's also just 33 00:02:25.139 --> 00:02:30.689 some very practical principles and I think this first Peter Chapter three and verse fifteen 34 00:02:30.770 --> 00:02:36.810 passage gives us some really just basic principles in sharing the faith and sharing our 35 00:02:36.849 --> 00:02:38.530 views and our values. So if you would just go ahead and read that 36 00:02:38.650 --> 00:02:43.729 verse Real Quick, Vicki, and this is from the EESV version, right, 37 00:02:43.810 --> 00:02:46.199 and and then we'll just kind of break it down with some of these 38 00:02:46.240 --> 00:02:51.879 principles. Okay, so this is first Peter Three fifteen, but in your 39 00:02:52.080 --> 00:02:57.919 hearts, honor Christ, the Lord as Holy, always being prepared to make 40 00:02:57.960 --> 00:03:02.030 a defense to anyone who asks you for the reason for the hope that is 41 00:03:02.110 --> 00:03:07.710 in you. You do it with gentleness and respect. Okay, this really 42 00:03:07.789 --> 00:03:12.860 does speak to me because, you know, most family gatherings you hear everyone 43 00:03:12.900 --> 00:03:15.060 when they come home and say how was it? How was your vacation, 44 00:03:15.340 --> 00:03:19.500 and you know, people roll their eyes. Yeah, you know it was. 45 00:03:19.979 --> 00:03:23.539 It's never quite what you hope and I do think that the the principles 46 00:03:23.580 --> 00:03:27.169 that were going to discuss. I honestly feel like, wow, these, 47 00:03:27.409 --> 00:03:30.449 you know, these are a good way to guide all family discussions, not 48 00:03:30.530 --> 00:03:36.650 just family discussions about something as heavy a topic as abortion. Yeah, yeah, 49 00:03:36.650 --> 00:03:38.289 I mean that's one of the things that this is a heavy topic yeah, 50 00:03:38.330 --> 00:03:42.599 and this is something that people are very passionate about, and rightly so. 51 00:03:42.759 --> 00:03:45.919 We're talking about, you know, killing people. Of course, on 52 00:03:46.039 --> 00:03:50.120 the other side, you know, for those who think abortion is a woman's 53 00:03:50.120 --> 00:03:53.319 right to choose, they're pretty passionate about this thing to right and can get 54 00:03:53.360 --> 00:03:57.509 pretty venomous. And Yeah, you know, even Christians, as we're standing 55 00:03:57.629 --> 00:04:00.389 our ground for truth, we can get pretty pretty nasty and, of course, 56 00:04:00.469 --> 00:04:04.710 in no way minimizing the the the weight of this subject. And we're 57 00:04:04.750 --> 00:04:10.180 talking about, you know, people that are being treated like garbage, you 58 00:04:10.300 --> 00:04:13.379 know, human beings that are thrown away at like medical waste. That that's 59 00:04:13.539 --> 00:04:15.420 something to be passionate about. Yeah, but we've got a sort of think 60 00:04:15.500 --> 00:04:18.459 this thing through and we've got a sort of you know, we because we 61 00:04:18.620 --> 00:04:21.779 want to share our views and we want to share it not ultimately are views. 62 00:04:21.779 --> 00:04:25.449 It's God's views, God's word. What it's God's word say. We 63 00:04:25.529 --> 00:04:29.089 want to share that stuff in a way that's going to actually have an effect. 64 00:04:29.170 --> 00:04:31.610 We're not just going to spew some truth and it not care really if 65 00:04:31.610 --> 00:04:33.569 it sticks or not. We wanted to stick. We want to be in 66 00:04:33.610 --> 00:04:39.240 people's hearts and people's minds. Won't people to have a comfort confrontation with the 67 00:04:39.279 --> 00:04:43.199 truth and hopes that they'll change their mind or at least rethink, yeah, 68 00:04:43.399 --> 00:04:46.439 their position. Yeah, it's not just that we want to be right about 69 00:04:46.519 --> 00:04:50.240 something, it's that we really believe in the Bible. Is Pretty clear what 70 00:04:50.360 --> 00:04:54.230 we do. We want to be right, but that's one of my problems. 71 00:04:55.029 --> 00:04:58.829 We truly do want the world to be a world that glorifies Scott. 72 00:04:58.910 --> 00:05:02.829 Yeah, and, and this is this is a huge part of God's world, 73 00:05:03.110 --> 00:05:06.459 the humans. Yeah, the humans that he put in, things that 74 00:05:06.579 --> 00:05:10.779 he put in this world. Absolutely, and there a value. So let's 75 00:05:10.779 --> 00:05:13.980 let's talk about that first principle, because we sort of broke it down and 76 00:05:14.060 --> 00:05:15.819 four principles that are thrown out of that scripture, and so read again that 77 00:05:15.939 --> 00:05:18.740 first part of that verse, if you let me know. Okay, first, 78 00:05:18.779 --> 00:05:21.250 peace, speed. It's in the new testaments, in case your wonder. 79 00:05:21.329 --> 00:05:25.730 Yeah, Peter, okay, so the first part. But in your 80 00:05:25.889 --> 00:05:30.089 hearts honor Christ, the Lord as Holy. Okay, and that's the first 81 00:05:30.129 --> 00:05:33.769 principle, and you brought this out as we were talking through this, that 82 00:05:34.009 --> 00:05:38.600 we need to prepare our hearts. We need to prepare our hearts and be 83 00:05:38.759 --> 00:05:41.680 pray and you know, hopefully, if you have these family members, obviously, 84 00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:45.319 if they're embracing the idea that abortion is just a woman's right to choose, 85 00:05:45.879 --> 00:05:49.189 they're obviously, you know, they need the Lord Right, they need 86 00:05:49.310 --> 00:05:53.350 God. So we need to be praying. Hopefully already are praying for your 87 00:05:53.350 --> 00:05:56.709 family members, praying that they're miles of be open not just to the fact 88 00:05:56.709 --> 00:06:00.629 that abortion is wrong but that they need the Lord, but also praying and 89 00:06:00.709 --> 00:06:03.579 asking the Lord to give you opportunity, praying ask the Lord to give you 90 00:06:03.779 --> 00:06:06.339 wisdom. We're going to talk about some some other principles have to do with 91 00:06:06.379 --> 00:06:12.060 this praying and asking the Lord to open up these doors. So say to 92 00:06:12.100 --> 00:06:15.420 find the Lord in our hearts or seeing the Lord is holy, is first 93 00:06:15.459 --> 00:06:18.970 understanding. This is about him, this is not about us right, it's 94 00:06:19.009 --> 00:06:23.290 about him. It's about other people who need to know him. So, 95 00:06:23.370 --> 00:06:27.850 yeah, that first principle of just preparing our hearts and asking God to prepare 96 00:06:27.850 --> 00:06:30.930 the hearts of our family members for these very heavy conversations. Yeah, and 97 00:06:31.170 --> 00:06:36.600 so in in and it says, but in your hearts, honor Christ, 98 00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:40.639 the Lord is holy, and so in your hearts. You know, I 99 00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:43.720 was thinking about that in a few minutes that we've been, you know, 100 00:06:44.160 --> 00:06:46.629 preparing for this, just just thinking. Okay, how, how in my 101 00:06:47.029 --> 00:06:53.750 heart do I prepare my heart that that Christ is holy? Yeah, and 102 00:06:54.470 --> 00:07:00.149 you know, one of the best ways is through reading scripture, reading his 103 00:07:00.430 --> 00:07:05.339 word and and and seeing what he has done and remembering what he's done. 104 00:07:05.420 --> 00:07:12.579 So, you know, I think sometimes in the holidays things get really busy. 105 00:07:12.620 --> 00:07:15.970 Yeah, and and we get overwhelmed pretty quickly and there's never enough time 106 00:07:16.089 --> 00:07:19.290 to do all the things. You know, I know, I my house 107 00:07:19.410 --> 00:07:24.649 is still not cleaned. I keep it's on the list that day and it's 108 00:07:24.689 --> 00:07:29.370 just keeps being the thing that gets ignored. But I think that what can 109 00:07:29.449 --> 00:07:32.199 get ignored is being in the word. Yeah, and at the time when 110 00:07:32.240 --> 00:07:35.879 maybe we needed the most to remember and to prepare our own hearts, not 111 00:07:36.040 --> 00:07:40.720 just that God would prepare other hearts to receive whatever we may have to offer, 112 00:07:41.160 --> 00:07:44.040 but that our own hearts are prepared. Well, if we're too busy 113 00:07:44.199 --> 00:07:48.870 to be in the word, to be in prayer, we may lose the 114 00:07:49.230 --> 00:07:53.670 the best. I do want to use the Mu, the word ammunition, 115 00:07:53.709 --> 00:07:56.430 but I can't think of another word that God has given us. Yeah, 116 00:07:56.470 --> 00:08:00.899 to prepare our own hearts to remember the holiness. Yeah, one of the 117 00:08:00.980 --> 00:08:03.220 things too, I think we can miss in the Hustle and bustle of the 118 00:08:03.339 --> 00:08:07.860 holiday season. And you know, they're just certain people, even in your 119 00:08:07.939 --> 00:08:15.730 family, that you dread go into those, you know, dinners or you 120 00:08:15.810 --> 00:08:20.850 know whatever you Thanksgiving meal or Christmas dinner with with that family member because you, 121 00:08:20.930 --> 00:08:24.290 like man, I don't want to be around them. But sanctifying the 122 00:08:24.370 --> 00:08:26.399 Lord in your heart, seeing the Lord as holy, is trying to see 123 00:08:26.480 --> 00:08:31.519 things his way of asking him to give you his heart for those family members 124 00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:33.720 and their family members that you've been around for a long time. Yeah, 125 00:08:33.759 --> 00:08:37.759 and you just Oh, I don't want to see Uncle Eddie again, because 126 00:08:37.759 --> 00:08:39.559 we always get into an argument about you know. It's like, well, 127 00:08:41.080 --> 00:08:43.149 be praying. Ask The Lord to open Uncle Eddie's heart, you know, 128 00:08:43.309 --> 00:08:46.990 ask the Lord to to speak to him. God can prepare his heart long 129 00:08:48.070 --> 00:08:52.309 before he arrives, you know, your house or Grandma's house from you know, 130 00:08:52.429 --> 00:08:54.590 thinks given dinner and maybe give you a new attitude. Yeah, it's 131 00:08:54.629 --> 00:08:58.100 uncle and exactly. Yeah, new angle to come from, you know, 132 00:08:58.500 --> 00:09:03.100 and so whatever, it's ultimately just given it to the Lord. This is 133 00:09:03.179 --> 00:09:05.019 about the Lord. This is about the Lord doing a work and your family 134 00:09:05.100 --> 00:09:09.019 members hearts. And again, it's not just about the issue of abortion. 135 00:09:09.100 --> 00:09:11.129 I mean that's what this podcast is about, but this podcast is also about 136 00:09:11.169 --> 00:09:15.690 the Gospel. So ultimately it's not just persuading them the abortion is wrong. 137 00:09:16.090 --> 00:09:20.210 People can believe abortion is wrong and still not be regenerated by the power of 138 00:09:20.210 --> 00:09:22.009 the Holy Spirit. They could be still be dead in their sins. We 139 00:09:22.090 --> 00:09:24.799 don't want to just convince them abortion is wrong. We want them to be 140 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:28.120 convinced that Jesus Christ is Lord and surrender their lives to him. Right, 141 00:09:28.240 --> 00:09:35.080 but this conversation about abortion might just be sort of a catalyst for that conversation 142 00:09:35.200 --> 00:09:39.269 about Jesus as well. Yeah, yeah, I was thinking also, in 143 00:09:39.429 --> 00:09:43.549 preparing your heart to that Jesus Christ as holy of some of the things that 144 00:09:43.669 --> 00:09:48.350 I do very naturally when I'm alone with the Lord. Pray before a meal 145 00:09:48.429 --> 00:09:54.019 by my head, literally pray, you know, and it's obvious. And 146 00:09:54.139 --> 00:09:58.139 when you're with at least me, when I'm with people that don't have family 147 00:09:58.179 --> 00:10:03.100 members that don't do that, it's a there's this moment of do I do 148 00:10:03.259 --> 00:10:07.210 it, I not do it, and and I think this verse is in 149 00:10:07.289 --> 00:10:11.970 a way saying do it. That's part of preparing, showing that he is 150 00:10:11.090 --> 00:10:16.330 wholly in your life. And usually the way I try to deal with it. 151 00:10:16.409 --> 00:10:18.090 Usually, as I'll say, it's it okay, if I see grace. 152 00:10:18.330 --> 00:10:22.879 Yeah, but there are some times, I'll be honest, awkward moments 153 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:28.559 when you're with someone who you know does not share that believe and I thought 154 00:10:28.679 --> 00:10:31.039 sometimes, I think we should, I just pray quietly in my heart. 155 00:10:31.159 --> 00:10:35.830 Do I need to make it open? Yeah, and I mean the best 156 00:10:35.830 --> 00:10:39.389 thing to do, especially if you have an uncle Eddie and they were somebody 157 00:10:39.669 --> 00:10:43.470 like that I was talking about, is just, you know, pray, 158 00:10:43.629 --> 00:10:46.590 Lord Jesus, Uncle Eddie is lost and I pray you save him right now, 159 00:10:46.629 --> 00:10:48.309 right in front uncle Eddie. Make sure you do that. Make sure 160 00:10:48.509 --> 00:10:52.820 he understands he's lost. That's kid. Don't do that, uncle. You 161 00:10:52.940 --> 00:10:56.340 do his ideas. Help you to see that he's wicked and he's going to 162 00:10:56.419 --> 00:11:00.100 help. Yeah, no, don't do that. Actually, that will not. 163 00:11:01.299 --> 00:11:03.899 But yeah, I mean not compromising who you are and who God is 164 00:11:03.019 --> 00:11:05.929 because family members are offended by that. You don't have to go out of 165 00:11:05.970 --> 00:11:09.809 your way, and this is one of the things that I the Lord has 166 00:11:09.850 --> 00:11:13.649 helped me with. For sure. When I first was saved, it's like 167 00:11:13.730 --> 00:11:18.250 I would go out of my way to, I don't know, provoke or 168 00:11:18.529 --> 00:11:22.559 just Expur a conversation about, you know, things like abortion or about, 169 00:11:22.720 --> 00:11:26.320 you know, the belief in God, because I have have an aunt who 170 00:11:26.639 --> 00:11:31.039 is not just left leaning, like totally left right, you know, she's 171 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:37.110 a leftist, and but she loves our family. In a few, you 172 00:11:37.190 --> 00:11:39.909 know, in the first couple of years of after I get saved, though, 173 00:11:39.990 --> 00:11:46.629 we had some some rocky conversations during Thanksgiving, in Christmas time. We 174 00:11:46.710 --> 00:11:50.700 had some sometimes where everyone else in the room felt uncomfortab boo, because we 175 00:11:50.779 --> 00:11:54.340 were going back and forth and debating things that had to do with Jesus and 176 00:11:54.379 --> 00:11:56.220 I had to do with, you know, abortion and other things. And 177 00:11:56.299 --> 00:12:01.419 I, looking back like Oh man, that really didn't honor God so much. 178 00:12:01.450 --> 00:12:03.129 Yeah, but did you know I was right? Technically? Yeah, 179 00:12:03.169 --> 00:12:07.929 I was. relationally, I was wrong in that sense the zeal of a 180 00:12:07.049 --> 00:12:11.529 new believer, because I think all of us, when we were new believers, 181 00:12:11.610 --> 00:12:15.610 have stories like that that we kind of cringe like live back like yeah, 182 00:12:15.759 --> 00:12:18.240 man, didn't need to be that sure. I was a jerk for 183 00:12:18.360 --> 00:12:26.000 Jesus, which is why it's a process. You know, sanctification is indeed 184 00:12:26.039 --> 00:12:28.120 a process that will take louse in the day of the day of death. 185 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:31.509 Yeah, well, the next prince will read on in that scripture and we'll 186 00:12:31.549 --> 00:12:37.789 touch on that next prince. All right, so always being prepared to make 187 00:12:37.870 --> 00:12:43.379 a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason, for the hope that 188 00:12:43.500 --> 00:12:48.059 it's in you. Okay. So the next keyword there is prepare yeah, 189 00:12:48.139 --> 00:12:52.179 preparation. Yeah, part of that preparation, of course, is in our 190 00:12:52.299 --> 00:12:56.659 hearts, in the Lord, and we're praying. So that first principle, 191 00:12:56.220 --> 00:13:01.370 you know. But also knowing what the Scripture says about abortion, if you're 192 00:13:01.370 --> 00:13:05.409 going to talk about abortion in particular, know what the Bible actually says, 193 00:13:05.769 --> 00:13:11.649 knowing medical facts, knowing statistics, those things are helpful. When you're having 194 00:13:11.649 --> 00:13:16.759 a conversation with someone but you're completely uninformed about what you're even talking about, 195 00:13:16.120 --> 00:13:20.159 you can really look like an idiot, you know, you can really dishonor 196 00:13:20.279 --> 00:13:22.840 the Lord. So knowing what the Scripture says in the you these may be 197 00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:28.070 unbelievers, these may be Christians. I mean sometimes you'll get in conversations with 198 00:13:28.549 --> 00:13:33.190 with family members that are believers, are at least appear to be a believer 199 00:13:33.230 --> 00:13:35.710 in Jesus, and you'll have some of that tension still. They might say, 200 00:13:35.750 --> 00:13:39.350 well, you know, abortion, I know abortion is wrong, but 201 00:13:39.710 --> 00:13:41.659 going out to an abortion clinic, for example, with you know my case, 202 00:13:41.740 --> 00:13:43.940 going out to abortion, and that just taking a little too far. 203 00:13:45.299 --> 00:13:48.539 And so you might have that conversation and I make a defense of why I 204 00:13:48.659 --> 00:13:50.620 do that and why do what I what I do based on God's words, 205 00:13:50.659 --> 00:13:54.059 specially, you know what. I'm talking with a Christian. Yeah, believe 206 00:13:54.100 --> 00:13:56.330 God's work can still be effective when we're talking to atheists and we're talking will. 207 00:13:56.409 --> 00:14:01.330 God puts value on human life, every human value, human life is 208 00:14:01.370 --> 00:14:03.809 valued by him, and just giving him what the Scripture says, given them 209 00:14:03.850 --> 00:14:07.529 what the Scripture says about that. Yeah, also, of course, medical 210 00:14:07.570 --> 00:14:13.360 facts, statistics. Some people don't know even the magnitude of the problem. 211 00:14:13.399 --> 00:14:18.159 Yeah, and so you might be sharing with a with a Christian family member 212 00:14:18.600 --> 00:14:22.039 who you know thinks, you know, abortions bad thing, but is it 213 00:14:22.200 --> 00:14:24.309 really that big of a problem? And sharing you know what? Almost a 214 00:14:24.470 --> 00:14:28.230 million children die every year. Sharing close to home, you know, in 215 00:14:28.350 --> 00:14:35.190 our city here in Charlotte, we're seeing thirty, sometimes forty, fifty abortions 216 00:14:35.230 --> 00:14:37.860 a day, day some day. So we six days a week. Most 217 00:14:37.899 --> 00:14:41.580 Christians that think, you know, abortions is wrong, it's bad, it's 218 00:14:41.580 --> 00:14:43.980 a problem, but they're not really, you know, in their hearts burden 219 00:14:45.059 --> 00:14:46.820 with this issue of abortion because they don't really see and know the magnet to 220 00:14:46.940 --> 00:14:50.899 to the problem. And when you share that, you might have a family 221 00:14:50.980 --> 00:14:54.690 member from out of town who you're sharing what it's got, what God's doing. 222 00:14:54.809 --> 00:14:56.929 So sharing testimonies also is very powerful. Yeah, might touch on that 223 00:14:56.970 --> 00:15:00.809 a little more, but she and the statistics and sharing the way of really 224 00:15:00.889 --> 00:15:03.289 what's going on. They might fly back home or go back home to where 225 00:15:03.289 --> 00:15:07.159 they're from and start their own ministry out in front of an abortion CHAC for 226 00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:11.399 their own ministry inside of a pregnancy center, doing something for for God or 227 00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:15.759 something to impact for the issue of life. So you don't know what impact 228 00:15:15.799 --> 00:15:18.360 you could have, whether their unbelievers were believed right. There's so much ignorant 229 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:24.629 in around the whole issue of abortion. In an interaction today, which wasn't 230 00:15:24.629 --> 00:15:26.429 a family member, but I was telling you earlier, I felt like a 231 00:15:26.470 --> 00:15:31.389 lot of the principles were discussing kind of were a part of that discussion with 232 00:15:31.789 --> 00:15:35.659 this girl who's coming for a job interview at the abortion, abortion, yeah, 233 00:15:35.659 --> 00:15:39.980 clinics. And and one of the things she said was was she was 234 00:15:41.179 --> 00:15:43.379 claimed to be a believer in Jesus, yes, and and a strong believer, 235 00:15:43.580 --> 00:15:46.299 I mean, and you know, there was a lot of the things 236 00:15:46.419 --> 00:15:48.139 she said that I thought. You know, I was a little taken aback 237 00:15:48.179 --> 00:15:52.009 because it sounded like she was. And and but one of the IT turns 238 00:15:52.049 --> 00:15:54.769 out she didn't know it was an abortion clinic. She just thought it was 239 00:15:54.809 --> 00:15:58.250 a medic woman's line. But she was still going to go in. And 240 00:15:58.529 --> 00:16:02.210 and as for a job, and she said, you know, I know 241 00:16:02.370 --> 00:16:06.440 people have differing views about pro life pro choice. I'm I'm pro life and 242 00:16:06.639 --> 00:16:11.679 pro choice, and she said them both. And I thought pro choice for 243 00:16:11.799 --> 00:16:15.159 for what? And she said, well, you know, a woman tried 244 00:16:15.240 --> 00:16:18.830 to choose, and I said, well, so am I if the woman's 245 00:16:18.830 --> 00:16:22.149 choosing chocolate or vanilla ice created. But we're talking about a woman's choice for 246 00:16:22.350 --> 00:16:27.350 what. And and then she just was silent because she realized, Oh, 247 00:16:29.309 --> 00:16:33.659 I said a woman's right to choose the death of her own baby. Do 248 00:16:33.740 --> 00:16:37.539 you think that as a believer in the Lord. That's something that that we 249 00:16:37.659 --> 00:16:41.700 should be supporting. And she said no and she ended up leaving and not 250 00:16:41.820 --> 00:16:45.899 going in for the job interview. But, um, but so kind of 251 00:16:47.139 --> 00:16:52.129 the the point, just reiterating. Yet there is so much ignorance that in 252 00:16:52.409 --> 00:16:56.049 around the whole abortion issue and sometimes, if you can just get a family 253 00:16:56.090 --> 00:17:02.120 member to kind of understand, they hear the mantras and they just like sometimes 254 00:17:02.559 --> 00:17:07.400 grab a hold of those without really understanding what they're even saying. And we 255 00:17:07.640 --> 00:17:11.240 have the experience being out there, you know personally, since we're sidewalk cousters 256 00:17:11.279 --> 00:17:15.910 in front of an abortion center. We know what the the truth is and 257 00:17:17.029 --> 00:17:21.670 we do have experience and examples and anecdotal evidence and things to say an act 258 00:17:21.869 --> 00:17:23.430 evidence can actually be powerful. It can be so power you know, a 259 00:17:23.470 --> 00:17:29.190 lot of this is emotionally driven anyway it because it again like with that young 260 00:17:29.230 --> 00:17:30.660 lady, you're talking about other people. You've talked to, you that we 261 00:17:30.779 --> 00:17:33.980 talked to you over the years of I'm sure some of the folks that are 262 00:17:33.019 --> 00:17:37.660 listening have talked to their emotional arguments. It's based on emotions. It's not 263 00:17:37.819 --> 00:17:41.500 really very well thought through. When you start talking about. So a woman's 264 00:17:41.500 --> 00:17:45.289 right to choose to do what right? Oh, to choose to have an 265 00:17:45.329 --> 00:17:48.450 abortion. Okay, then what is an abortion right? Well, an abortion 266 00:17:48.690 --> 00:17:52.930 is the removal of the project of conception. What is the project of concept? 267 00:17:52.970 --> 00:17:56.450 You know, asking those questions, and one of the things I think 268 00:17:56.490 --> 00:18:02.799 I'll say along the lines of this same principle is not letting the conversation just 269 00:18:03.000 --> 00:18:06.759 center around politics, because that can be you know, my grandmother, who's 270 00:18:06.839 --> 00:18:11.240 German, would get angry when me and my aunt and my brother actually, 271 00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:14.950 who's a believer, and we would me and my brother would basically my aunt 272 00:18:14.990 --> 00:18:18.029 and uncle. We would be having a conversation with them back and forth about 273 00:18:18.029 --> 00:18:21.390 the issue of abortion. My Grandmother Say, don't talk about religion and politics. 274 00:18:21.829 --> 00:18:23.029 Her, I can't do her German action. But that was what you'd 275 00:18:23.029 --> 00:18:26.109 say, don't talk about religion and politics. You get pretty mad. Yeah, 276 00:18:26.339 --> 00:18:29.579 but a lot of it, as a look back, was like this 277 00:18:29.779 --> 00:18:33.380 was a political conversation more than it will you know, was a Democrat Republican 278 00:18:33.420 --> 00:18:38.059 conversation more than it was a Jesus and Truth Combating Satan and lies conversation. 279 00:18:38.500 --> 00:18:42.890 And so not letting it slip into the politics thing, because the politics thing 280 00:18:44.009 --> 00:18:49.049 can really polarize and really just make make the conversation kind of go south. 281 00:18:49.410 --> 00:18:52.769 It can, and so can religion. I mean, I think your grandmother's 282 00:18:52.890 --> 00:18:57.400 right, but as we as we said before we started this, well, 283 00:18:59.160 --> 00:19:02.799 what else is there? You know, my life is the Lord. He 284 00:19:03.240 --> 00:19:07.799 is the reason I exist. Yeah, and to to shut that off in 285 00:19:07.960 --> 00:19:12.589 a gathering would instantly create tension for me. You can't know. It's apt 286 00:19:12.670 --> 00:19:17.349 if you love the look not talk about Jesus. Right, right, but 287 00:19:17.549 --> 00:19:19.789 there are principles about how we can discuss that. So, your grandmother, 288 00:19:19.829 --> 00:19:25.819 I do agree. Religion and politics can can often silence a room. Yeah, 289 00:19:25.980 --> 00:19:29.259 and and driving came away. But one thing I said, you know, 290 00:19:29.339 --> 00:19:30.339 she said don't talk about religion and politics it. So, if I 291 00:19:30.339 --> 00:19:33.460 don't talk about religion, people go to hell, but don't talk about politics, 292 00:19:33.500 --> 00:19:37.859 sometimes the country will go there as well. Sometimes we got to talk 293 00:19:37.900 --> 00:19:41.170 about these things. But I think what it is more than just skirting the 294 00:19:41.250 --> 00:19:45.210 issues or ignoring the issue of religion politics. It's the way that you go 295 00:19:45.410 --> 00:19:48.009 about talking about yeah, religion and politics, you know. Yeah, because 296 00:19:48.049 --> 00:19:52.240 that's a lot of the conversations that we have around the table or whatever. 297 00:19:52.279 --> 00:19:55.400 You know, we talk about family and that kind of stuff, and that's 298 00:19:55.440 --> 00:19:57.480 good. Yeah, and we need to be relational. Understand to that your 299 00:19:57.519 --> 00:20:03.240 whole motivation from going for going to a Thanksgiving dinner or having time with your 300 00:20:03.279 --> 00:20:06.440 family, went over at Christmas or whatever. It's not just so you can 301 00:20:06.920 --> 00:20:08.869 you push your agenda. You actually love these people when you want to be 302 00:20:08.869 --> 00:20:12.390 around them, most of them, right, but but even those who you 303 00:20:12.430 --> 00:20:15.630 don't want to be around, ultimately the desire would be that you build a 304 00:20:15.710 --> 00:20:19.869 better relationship with them so that you know you can bring some more truth to 305 00:20:19.910 --> 00:20:23.019 them so they're as and ears are open to hear the truth when I think 306 00:20:23.099 --> 00:20:26.380 one of the principles you're going to get to, and I think this is 307 00:20:26.579 --> 00:20:30.099 very important in not ramming it down their throat, will get into the principle 308 00:20:30.220 --> 00:20:36.609 about you know, maybe there's an appropriate time and timing, not only how 309 00:20:36.730 --> 00:20:41.970 you present it, but your timing and when this discussion comes up. Yeah, 310 00:20:41.970 --> 00:20:45.009 yeah, so, really so. That next principle is look for opportunities 311 00:20:45.049 --> 00:20:49.000 to introduce abortion into the conversation. Naturally, right, and and let's see, 312 00:20:49.160 --> 00:20:56.119 was that giving derived all of them a reason? Yeah, so give 313 00:20:56.160 --> 00:21:00.319 a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason, for the hope that 314 00:21:00.559 --> 00:21:04.910 is in you. I think that is key. Yeah, who asks you? 315 00:21:06.269 --> 00:21:11.549 Yeah, if someone has asked you and you can channel whatever that question 316 00:21:11.869 --> 00:21:18.230 was into a discussion of God of abortion, they're going to be so much 317 00:21:18.230 --> 00:21:25.299 more receptive than if you have forced it upon them, so forced into the 318 00:21:25.380 --> 00:21:27.740 conversation with it's just not a natural flow of the conversation. Right. So 319 00:21:29.180 --> 00:21:33.410 they maybe you're having a conversation about, you know, aunt betsy that's in 320 00:21:33.529 --> 00:21:37.690 the hospital or whatever. You can lead that conversation into a natural conversation about 321 00:21:37.690 --> 00:21:41.250 the Lord and ultimately things. But like just jumping right out Saya and Bussis 322 00:21:41.289 --> 00:21:45.529 in the hospital. You know, abortions, we can right, probably not 323 00:21:45.609 --> 00:21:48.240 going to be. It's not the natural flow of the of the conversation. 324 00:21:48.440 --> 00:21:52.720 Take something like that and and then and you know and say you know it. 325 00:21:52.920 --> 00:21:57.839 It breaks my heart. You know, I I often think of people 326 00:21:59.000 --> 00:22:03.670 that are, you know, in in mortal illness or whatever they might die, 327 00:22:03.789 --> 00:22:08.910 and I and I care so much about their eternal soul and and where 328 00:22:08.910 --> 00:22:12.349 they where they're going to go. Way And you know, kind of steering 329 00:22:12.430 --> 00:22:18.619 it again, that becomes ultimately a gospel question. Yeah, where do where? 330 00:22:18.700 --> 00:22:22.019 And how does our eternal soul go to heaven, which I think is 331 00:22:22.099 --> 00:22:25.619 the hope of most people, unless you truly have no belief, that belief 332 00:22:25.660 --> 00:22:27.779 in God. Yeah, so just maybe kind of where you take even that 333 00:22:29.099 --> 00:22:33.890 example and maybe there's a way to steer it towards what you hope they will 334 00:22:33.890 --> 00:22:38.210 ask about, but being careful that we're not ramming it down their throat. 335 00:22:38.289 --> 00:22:42.569 You have a line that I love, something about dump your Bible, but 336 00:22:42.650 --> 00:22:45.559 not too hard. Yeah, right, yeah, thump your Bible, use 337 00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:48.920 the word of God, but just don't thump it too hard. Don't write 338 00:22:48.559 --> 00:22:52.160 it down, people say, you know, yeah, I think that applies 339 00:22:52.240 --> 00:22:57.829 here. But so how how do we then? A defense to anyone who 340 00:22:57.869 --> 00:23:00.750 asks you, as I was reading that more carefully, a defense to anyone 341 00:23:00.789 --> 00:23:07.109 who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. That's 342 00:23:07.150 --> 00:23:10.990 what the defense is of. Yeah, the hope that is in you. 343 00:23:11.670 --> 00:23:15.740 Yeah, and I think that comes into sort of even along lines of the 344 00:23:15.779 --> 00:23:18.980 first or that second principle that we talked about, which is testimonies. Yeah, 345 00:23:19.019 --> 00:23:22.779 and you know, testimonies are powerful testimonies it comes to you. Know, 346 00:23:23.099 --> 00:23:26.819 I can with about my phone if I'm talking to a family member. 347 00:23:26.900 --> 00:23:29.970 Matter of fact, I date it with my aunt couple years ago whenever, 348 00:23:30.130 --> 00:23:33.490 you know, some of the tension sort of died down, or at least, 349 00:23:33.529 --> 00:23:36.569 you know, as I'd gotten a little wiser. How I present things 350 00:23:37.089 --> 00:23:38.329 is that, you know, I'll just show her pictures on my phone of 351 00:23:38.410 --> 00:23:41.599 babies that have been saved at the abortion clinic. Not Not in some like 352 00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:44.839 Oh, look at this, yeah, but I'd be like, you know, 353 00:23:44.960 --> 00:23:48.079 this mom came to this abortional I'll share the story and this is what 354 00:23:48.200 --> 00:23:51.599 we were able to do, you know, and you know, my aunt 355 00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:56.190 really was receptive to that and really didn't shoot. As a matter of fact, 356 00:23:56.190 --> 00:23:57.430 I think she said, I'm glad you guys are doing something to try 357 00:23:57.470 --> 00:24:03.029 to help, and that is the lot different than what it was years past, 358 00:24:03.150 --> 00:24:06.190 when it was you know, you're a bigot in your this and you're 359 00:24:06.230 --> 00:24:10.900 that. Yeah, so, sharing testimonies that you've seen, but also, 360 00:24:11.460 --> 00:24:15.299 and that, when the hope that lies within you, is sharing your testimony, 361 00:24:15.660 --> 00:24:17.900 you know, sharing your testimony, course, your testimony of how you 362 00:24:17.980 --> 00:24:19.779 came to know the Lord, but even sharing, you know, when talking 363 00:24:19.779 --> 00:24:22.819 about the issue of abortion, sharing how you came to some of the conclusions 364 00:24:22.900 --> 00:24:26.049 that you did. You know, sharing that as a believer, you know, 365 00:24:26.089 --> 00:24:29.890 I could share. Personally, I was apathetic towards the issue of abortion 366 00:24:29.930 --> 00:24:33.089 until I went to an abortion clinic to for the first time and I saw 367 00:24:33.210 --> 00:24:36.369 women go in and I knew they were going in with a baby and they 368 00:24:36.410 --> 00:24:40.079 were leaving, leaving their dead child, and so so sharing the testimony of 369 00:24:40.119 --> 00:24:41.880 how you came to some of the conclusions, how the Lord Open Your eyes 370 00:24:41.920 --> 00:24:47.359 and open your heart and certain areas can also be sharing that. You know, 371 00:24:47.400 --> 00:24:49.599 about that hope that lies within you. Yeah, and you're given a 372 00:24:49.720 --> 00:24:55.950 defense for that hope. So you are, you are defending that that hope 373 00:24:56.029 --> 00:25:00.869 is a valid hope. Yeah, there is evidence in your life and scripture 374 00:25:00.109 --> 00:25:06.509 that that it is a hope that is worth defending. Kind of implicit in 375 00:25:06.910 --> 00:25:10.619 that statement this hope is worth yeah, and you know, I'd say to 376 00:25:10.740 --> 00:25:12.420 you know, if you like, you have a personal testimony of having had 377 00:25:12.500 --> 00:25:17.460 abortion in your past, having had an abortion, you could share you the 378 00:25:17.500 --> 00:25:21.529 hope that laws within you. You've been devastated in your past by an abortion. 379 00:25:21.809 --> 00:25:23.089 You know what it does to a human heart, you know what it 380 00:25:23.210 --> 00:25:27.450 does to a woman right, and you can share with a family member you 381 00:25:27.529 --> 00:25:32.490 know, of course, naturally within the conversation. Yeah, that hope that 382 00:25:32.529 --> 00:25:34.170 allows within you, even though you've been there, done that, you know 383 00:25:34.369 --> 00:25:38.000 what God can do is well, yeah, in fact, I remember when 384 00:25:38.759 --> 00:25:45.400 my wonderful sister, I love her great deeply, but she very different politically 385 00:25:45.559 --> 00:25:52.549 religiously than I am, and when I was first going public with my own 386 00:25:52.589 --> 00:25:57.190 abortion and I was on the sidewalk. I'm not sure I had even I'm 387 00:25:57.230 --> 00:26:02.069 not sure I had gone public yet that I had had an abortion, but 388 00:26:02.670 --> 00:26:07.940 I was sharing testimonies from the sidewalk all the time facebook and my sister wrote 389 00:26:07.980 --> 00:26:11.380 to me and said, what about your own abortion? Yeah, so here 390 00:26:11.700 --> 00:26:15.980 was, this is exactly. This was where she asked me and I was 391 00:26:17.019 --> 00:26:21.609 able to turn that around. I think she was asking you're a hypocrite. 392 00:26:21.609 --> 00:26:25.450 I think that was kind of the the intent of that question, but I 393 00:26:25.529 --> 00:26:30.730 was able to turn it around to it is exactly because of my own abortion 394 00:26:32.289 --> 00:26:37.440 that I am out on that sidewalk, because I know what the the sorrow 395 00:26:37.880 --> 00:26:41.799 that will follow post aboard of women for really their whole life. Yeah, 396 00:26:41.799 --> 00:26:47.309 and and I'm there to tell them there is hope there is a better way, 397 00:26:47.309 --> 00:26:49.390 so it would say. It flowed naturally. She asked me. I 398 00:26:49.470 --> 00:26:56.269 didn't force that opinion on her. It completely turned around how she perceived what 399 00:26:56.390 --> 00:27:00.990 I was doing completely. From that day forward I never got another comment even 400 00:27:00.029 --> 00:27:04.019 remotely like that. In fact, I believe she deeply respects and supports what 401 00:27:04.140 --> 00:27:07.579 I do. So that I think that's an example when when we do things 402 00:27:07.619 --> 00:27:12.380 by biblical principles, it that we often do get a very different result. 403 00:27:12.579 --> 00:27:15.730 Yeah, yeah, one things I do want to point out too. With 404 00:27:15.769 --> 00:27:21.289 this scripture there's a there's an immediate context of the scripture. Peters talking about 405 00:27:21.289 --> 00:27:25.289 in the midst of persecution, being persecuted by a tyrannical government. So of 406 00:27:25.369 --> 00:27:29.450 course you were not just saying you these these principles are only put in there 407 00:27:29.569 --> 00:27:32.920 for this. But I think there are principles, even out of the immediate 408 00:27:33.039 --> 00:27:36.680 context, that can be drawn out and they can help us, and that's 409 00:27:36.720 --> 00:27:37.559 what's going on here. So it's not like, you know, you're sitting 410 00:27:37.559 --> 00:27:41.759 around the you know, the the Thanksgiving table, and you're being persecuted. 411 00:27:41.960 --> 00:27:45.269 You if you have sort of a martyr or persecution complex, you think maybe 412 00:27:45.269 --> 00:27:48.589 because everybody doesn't agree with you. You know you're being persecuted. That's not 413 00:27:48.750 --> 00:27:52.710 true, right, but you know these principles are important and you do have 414 00:27:52.869 --> 00:27:56.869 a hope in you. I don't know that. You know, some might 415 00:27:56.950 --> 00:28:00.900 say, well, based on this, I need to give a defense if 416 00:28:00.940 --> 00:28:03.420 they ask. So I don't really even need to pipe up unless I'm asked 417 00:28:03.500 --> 00:28:07.019 about so why do you believe abortions from? I don't think we need to 418 00:28:07.099 --> 00:28:11.980 just say well, our mouths need to be shut about Jesus, about abortion, 419 00:28:11.180 --> 00:28:15.809 about whatever issue, until somebody asks. The principle here, I think, 420 00:28:15.849 --> 00:28:18.890 is one of being able to give a defense, to be to give 421 00:28:18.930 --> 00:28:25.970 a well well thought out defense, but again, not to force the issue 422 00:28:26.009 --> 00:28:29.599 in such a way that's being purposely like you're going out of your way to 423 00:28:29.720 --> 00:28:33.519 offend people. You can look for opportunities, yeah, which maybe is a 424 00:28:33.599 --> 00:28:37.480 gentler way than of saying you know, of saying you don't need to wait 425 00:28:37.519 --> 00:28:41.950 till your ass. You can, but you can look for opportunities and how 426 00:28:41.990 --> 00:28:51.430 how to weave your very sincere, heartfelt desires to discuss this subject into a 427 00:28:51.589 --> 00:28:55.859 family because you know, I abhore that statement. Preach the Gospel at all 428 00:28:55.900 --> 00:28:57.740 times and, when necessary, use words. You might. You might take 429 00:28:57.779 --> 00:29:00.500 this. It's a cop out for a lot of people. You know, 430 00:29:00.619 --> 00:29:03.900 preach the Gospel around my family and I'll just be really nice to them, 431 00:29:03.380 --> 00:29:06.539 be really nice to my kids. You should be nice to them. You 432 00:29:06.539 --> 00:29:07.859 should be nice to your kids, whatever. You know. Yeah, Your 433 00:29:07.940 --> 00:29:12.410 Life should display the gospel of Jesus. Right, but preaching the Gospel, 434 00:29:12.410 --> 00:29:15.730 you actually use the words when necessary. These words. It's always necessary to 435 00:29:15.769 --> 00:29:19.369 use words to preach the Gospel, folks. Okay, public service announcement. 436 00:29:21.210 --> 00:29:23.319 So anyway, right, and we've been we've had that discussion before, but 437 00:29:23.400 --> 00:29:27.799 it does bear repeating that that. Yes, absolutely, the Bible commands us 438 00:29:27.920 --> 00:29:32.960 to speak over out the open your mouth for this. Speechless is, but 439 00:29:33.039 --> 00:29:34.039 you don't have to be a jerk while doing it. How about that? 440 00:29:34.240 --> 00:29:38.710 That's right, and that's our fourth point. Okay, is read the leave 441 00:29:38.750 --> 00:29:44.069 it. Read, write. So yet, so all these things that came 442 00:29:44.150 --> 00:29:48.549 before that, you're giving the defense. Yet do it with gentleness and respect. 443 00:29:48.750 --> 00:29:52.900 Okay, do it with gentle thanks out in my family, guess, 444 00:29:53.220 --> 00:29:57.859 help me to do this with gentleness, gentleness and respect. I mean that 445 00:29:57.940 --> 00:30:03.539 ties into the second timothy passage where it says that the servant of the Lord 446 00:30:03.579 --> 00:30:07.930 must not fight, but must be gentle to all, answering those who in 447 00:30:07.009 --> 00:30:11.490 opposition in humility. So this is a certain this is a thread that we 448 00:30:11.529 --> 00:30:15.529 see through all the scriptures that Christian ministers, people who are going to Minister 449 00:30:15.650 --> 00:30:18.490 The Gospel, need to do it gentleness, need to do it respectfully, 450 00:30:18.690 --> 00:30:22.720 need to do it humbly. There's a certain amount of humility that we got 451 00:30:22.839 --> 00:30:26.400 to have. Yeah, and I think it's particularly hard for me in the 452 00:30:26.519 --> 00:30:32.400 subjects that that I feel the most passionate about. Yeah, because I see, 453 00:30:33.279 --> 00:30:37.150 you know, I look with horror on on what happens in an abortion. 454 00:30:37.230 --> 00:30:41.109 I'm well informed, yeah, what happens in an abortion, and and 455 00:30:41.309 --> 00:30:45.910 I you know, it makes me angry. It makes me angry that that 456 00:30:45.549 --> 00:30:52.500 babies are being slaughtered and people who know nothing about it are are saying, 457 00:30:52.539 --> 00:30:55.380 but a woman should have a right to choose her body, her choice, 458 00:30:55.539 --> 00:31:00.500 and and it makes me mad. And that works against this very command to 459 00:31:00.539 --> 00:31:06.609 speak the things that the hope that is in you is probably for all of 460 00:31:06.730 --> 00:31:11.690 us, something we're very passionate about. Yeah, we're supposed to express our 461 00:31:11.730 --> 00:31:15.809 opinion with gentleness and yes, back and this is going back to that first 462 00:31:15.849 --> 00:31:19.440 principle that we need sanctify the Lord or honor the Lord in our hearts as 463 00:31:19.519 --> 00:31:25.599 holy. Don't let your zeal get before get before honor in the Lord. 464 00:31:25.960 --> 00:31:29.640 You know, zeal without knowledge. The Bible Warns Against Zeal Without Knowledge and 465 00:31:29.759 --> 00:31:33.750 I'll look back to my early days as a believer at times with my family 466 00:31:33.150 --> 00:31:37.670 where I've basically told them all they're wrong and they're going to hell and probably 467 00:31:37.750 --> 00:31:41.309 that many words, and I was gonna say not so many words, probably 468 00:31:41.390 --> 00:31:44.309 just that you know, you're all going to hell. Don't know God. 469 00:31:44.390 --> 00:31:45.829 You know. And I look back and I was like that was just zeal 470 00:31:45.869 --> 00:31:48.819 without knowledge, like I wanted them to come to know the Lord. I 471 00:31:49.059 --> 00:31:52.460 really did want them to know Jesus. I really did want for them to 472 00:31:52.539 --> 00:31:57.539 be saved, but my zeal without knowledge really dishonored the Lord and sort of, 473 00:31:57.980 --> 00:32:01.250 you know, cause them to sort of keep me at arms and length 474 00:32:01.890 --> 00:32:06.450 rather than you having a reasoned conversation with them in gentleness and respect. I 475 00:32:06.490 --> 00:32:09.170 would did some things that were very disrespectful. So let me ask you this. 476 00:32:09.450 --> 00:32:19.039 Okay, so how do you speak respectfully to someone you don't respect? 477 00:32:19.519 --> 00:32:23.079 Okay, that's a tough one. That is it. That is the very 478 00:32:23.119 --> 00:32:27.640 goodling that that often on Saturday's right. Yeah, we have some. Yeah, 479 00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:31.109 so so, but it's gonna but I think it's an important question. 480 00:32:31.190 --> 00:32:35.869 Yeah, because, okay, are there people that that like this, this 481 00:32:35.990 --> 00:32:39.430 doesn't apply to or? Well, I don't think that there are. I 482 00:32:39.549 --> 00:32:43.950 think that you know our speech. I think it has almost nothing to do 483 00:32:44.069 --> 00:32:46.500 with the person, everything to do with the person of Christ and what God's 484 00:32:46.500 --> 00:32:50.859 Word says that there needs to be a gentleness in respect. Now, of 485 00:32:50.980 --> 00:32:54.380 course we know, with Jesus as our example, there was a firmness and 486 00:32:54.819 --> 00:33:00.849 a loudness, I'd say it sometimes, that Jesus used right. He rebuked 487 00:33:00.849 --> 00:33:05.369 the Pharisees very staunchly. You'll see with Paul at one point. You know, 488 00:33:05.490 --> 00:33:08.650 he rebukes a the pro council and ultimately God strikes him with blindness. 489 00:33:08.690 --> 00:33:13.200 Yeah, there's a place for that, there's a place for that sort of 490 00:33:13.240 --> 00:33:16.200 rebuke, but I don't think sitting around the Thanksgiving table, is that there's 491 00:33:16.319 --> 00:33:21.960 there's this gentleness in respect that we've got to have rather than a prophetic rebuke 492 00:33:22.039 --> 00:33:24.599 to all of our family and talking to them and talking through these things, 493 00:33:25.559 --> 00:33:30.390 even though there are might be family members that we don't respect. Yeah, 494 00:33:30.230 --> 00:33:35.029 I think we respect them as human beings made in the image of God, 495 00:33:35.589 --> 00:33:40.500 and I'll say, especially if you're talking like grandparents or your parents, that 496 00:33:40.619 --> 00:33:45.579 you are commanded to respect them and to honor them, not to shame them 497 00:33:45.859 --> 00:33:47.819 in the way that you talk to them. People who are older than you, 498 00:33:47.980 --> 00:33:52.700 there's your scriptural principle of honoring your elders. Now, they may be 499 00:33:53.380 --> 00:33:59.049 godless unbelievers, you can still honor them as those who have lived longer than 500 00:33:59.089 --> 00:34:01.490 you and there's some wisdom. Listen, I've learned some wisdom some from some 501 00:34:01.650 --> 00:34:07.009 of my family members that don't know God right, but they have experience in 502 00:34:07.089 --> 00:34:09.559 life that I've never had and they can speak some things into my life. 503 00:34:09.800 --> 00:34:15.239 As long as I process it through scripture, that can really benefit me. 504 00:34:15.000 --> 00:34:20.079 So coming from that angle and respecting them because they've been living longer than you 505 00:34:20.639 --> 00:34:22.559 is important nothing. Yeah, I mean, and and I really like where 506 00:34:22.599 --> 00:34:27.389 you went with that right away. Taking it to the the respect is not 507 00:34:28.550 --> 00:34:31.349 for their views. Yeah, we're the where they are spiritually. The respect 508 00:34:31.469 --> 00:34:36.750 is because they're human beings made in the image of a holy God and because, 509 00:34:36.989 --> 00:34:42.300 in that manner, if that's the reason for respect. You could apply 510 00:34:42.420 --> 00:34:45.739 that to every single person. Yeah, yeah, that you interact with. 511 00:34:45.059 --> 00:34:49.860 And I know there are, like you said, there are times that Jesus 512 00:34:49.860 --> 00:34:52.739 should righteous sing or when you overturned the tables. He didn't E. Tell 513 00:34:52.780 --> 00:34:54.409 Peter get behind me saying yeah, so, I mean, yeah, there's 514 00:34:54.449 --> 00:35:00.010 there is a place for rebukeke and righteous anger. But yeah, hopefully a 515 00:35:00.090 --> 00:35:02.610 family gathering. It's well, I think, least for that. I think 516 00:35:02.650 --> 00:35:07.840 we know, we know practically what's you know what will honor the Lord and 517 00:35:07.960 --> 00:35:10.440 what will not, especially when we're in his word and we bathe this this 518 00:35:10.599 --> 00:35:14.000 and pray. Are you not encourage you guys, before you're going to have 519 00:35:14.079 --> 00:35:16.920 your Thanksgiving me or before you're going to have your Christmas dinner or your Christmas 520 00:35:17.320 --> 00:35:21.590 family time, pray, Lord, how can? Who Do you want me 521 00:35:21.630 --> 00:35:24.110 to reach in my family? who you already dealing with? God's already dealing 522 00:35:24.150 --> 00:35:28.510 with some of their hearts probably, and you know, God open those doors 523 00:35:28.550 --> 00:35:30.429 and God will open those doors, you know. You know, I'd say 524 00:35:30.869 --> 00:35:36.900 the angry rebuke in the life of Jesus was the exception rather than the rule. 525 00:35:37.139 --> 00:35:42.500 Even in Peter and Paul's life and their confrontation with certain leaders and all 526 00:35:42.539 --> 00:35:45.420 of that you need. Mostly it's in a governmental capacity. Jesus is dealing 527 00:35:45.460 --> 00:35:49.699 with the Pharisees, or so sort of a governmental position. Same Way with 528 00:35:49.860 --> 00:35:55.369 Paul. He's dealing with government authority. And we're not talking about governmental authorities, 529 00:35:55.730 --> 00:35:59.730 we're talking about your family. We're talking about those who you've known for 530 00:35:59.809 --> 00:36:01.929 a long time, which can make it even more difficult sometimes. Yeah, 531 00:36:02.010 --> 00:36:06.599 that's why it's important to bathe these things in prayer. Yeah, and you 532 00:36:06.679 --> 00:36:10.320 know, thinking about gentleness. What does that look like? Gentleness like, 533 00:36:12.719 --> 00:36:15.920 bouncing off of your point. Often Times with family you know each other very 534 00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:22.710 well and and sometimes we don't treat each other well because, you know, 535 00:36:22.829 --> 00:36:27.150 familiarity breeds contempt. Yeah, that that you just you know that. Basically, 536 00:36:27.150 --> 00:36:30.230 I think you know the they'll always be there to love you. You're 537 00:36:30.389 --> 00:36:32.460 irritated, I think, more easily, yeah, by the things that you 538 00:36:32.619 --> 00:36:38.900 see every day. that it just builds. So gentleness. I think about 539 00:36:38.900 --> 00:36:45.139 that because I don't think I am naturally a gentle yeah person, but I 540 00:36:45.260 --> 00:36:51.010 wander from up North's not right. And and so you know, kind of 541 00:36:52.570 --> 00:36:57.849 what does gentleness look like? And I know two things that in my mind, 542 00:36:58.010 --> 00:37:00.369 when I feel people are gentle with me. There's two things that that 543 00:37:00.719 --> 00:37:05.559 I think of. Number One, they listen. Yeah, you can tell 544 00:37:05.719 --> 00:37:08.440 they're listening. That's a gentleness. Yeah, and the second is they don't 545 00:37:08.480 --> 00:37:12.400 call me names. Yes, and they don't put me down, or even 546 00:37:12.519 --> 00:37:16.469 sarcasm can. I mean some sarcasm is funny, but they're there is a 547 00:37:16.550 --> 00:37:22.590 point where sarcasm can be cruel. So so to me those are two important 548 00:37:22.630 --> 00:37:27.909 aspects of jet and we talked about that even as one of these principles, 549 00:37:27.949 --> 00:37:30.900 even though we didn't make it one of the principles, is that you know, 550 00:37:30.619 --> 00:37:36.300 listening to people and what they actually believe and what their convictions and things 551 00:37:36.340 --> 00:37:37.739 are. You know, when you're talking through and you're having a conversation, 552 00:37:37.820 --> 00:37:44.289 actually listening is an important part of being gentle. You kind of just slow 553 00:37:44.449 --> 00:37:46.610 down. Ultimately, it's not your job to convince someone of the truth. 554 00:37:46.969 --> 00:37:50.969 The Holy Spirit will do that and they have to yield to him. So 555 00:37:51.610 --> 00:37:55.050 you just slow down, listen to what they have to say and then the 556 00:37:55.289 --> 00:37:59.480 Lord will give you things to respond to them. You know, as you're 557 00:37:59.519 --> 00:38:01.679 listening to what their convictions are. If you're listening, you know a lot 558 00:38:01.719 --> 00:38:07.360 of times if you listen to what people's heartfelt convictions are, the reasoned out 559 00:38:07.400 --> 00:38:09.400 convictions are. I say that with air quotes, because you realize most of 560 00:38:09.440 --> 00:38:12.989 these aren't reasoned out very much. Yeah, there are a lot of its 561 00:38:13.070 --> 00:38:16.670 emotional. Yeah, or there's commonalities you didn't know existed as actually listen to 562 00:38:16.750 --> 00:38:22.710 them. You know something it doesn't say in this verse. Listening again to 563 00:38:22.789 --> 00:38:28.739 what you just said, that giving a defense to anyone who ask you for 564 00:38:28.980 --> 00:38:31.380 a reason, that is that for the hope that is in you. You 565 00:38:31.539 --> 00:38:37.139 do a gentleness respect, it doesn't say, and then changing their minds. 566 00:38:37.340 --> 00:38:39.420 Yeah, we are not called for the results. We say that all the 567 00:38:39.500 --> 00:38:44.130 time to our volunteers out on your side, Balk we're not called for the 568 00:38:44.170 --> 00:38:47.170 results. We are called to give the defense, to be the messenger, 569 00:38:47.210 --> 00:38:51.610 yeah, of the hope that is within us, which is the Gospel. 570 00:38:52.289 --> 00:38:54.650 But it's not our work. Yeah, for it's not our job to change 571 00:38:54.690 --> 00:38:58.800 their hard that that in and of itself, I think, can change family 572 00:38:58.800 --> 00:39:01.000 dynamics. Y. Yeah, absolutely, you're not thinking I got to change 573 00:39:01.039 --> 00:39:06.320 their mind. I mean that brings about sword inline with that word gentle that 574 00:39:06.480 --> 00:39:09.469 word can also be humble or meek. Oh, okay. So your other 575 00:39:09.550 --> 00:39:13.829 version said the way. Yeah, the new King Dames actually says with meekness 576 00:39:13.869 --> 00:39:17.750 and fear. Okay. And so humility. Everything that we do as believers 577 00:39:17.789 --> 00:39:22.869 in Jesus and those who are to bring his message should be done with humility. 578 00:39:22.630 --> 00:39:27.579 In humility entails recognizing it's not our work that we're doing, it's not 579 00:39:27.659 --> 00:39:30.619 our message that we're bringing, it's not our job to convince people to change 580 00:39:30.659 --> 00:39:35.980 their minds. Certainly will want to influence them, but ultimately we just were 581 00:39:36.019 --> 00:39:38.250 supposed to give the truth. We're supposed to do it with humility and gentleness 582 00:39:38.610 --> 00:39:43.929 and and respect. And then they deal with it, you know, they 583 00:39:44.289 --> 00:39:49.250 before God and God's dealing with their hearts already. You know, it's between 584 00:39:49.289 --> 00:39:53.519 them and the Lord, Right. Yeah, yeah, that's a really freeing 585 00:39:54.000 --> 00:39:59.320 point for me, very free it is so o we just we hope this 586 00:39:59.519 --> 00:40:01.480 podcast was a blessing to you, guys. We hope that it freeds you 587 00:40:01.480 --> 00:40:06.639 up to be a witness in your family, not just talking about the issue 588 00:40:06.639 --> 00:40:12.429 of abortion, but talking about the Gospel and and so be blessed with this, 589 00:40:12.909 --> 00:40:15.230 with this information that we give you, and and go out and be 590 00:40:15.309 --> 00:40:19.429 a witness to your family, be praying, asking the Lord to use you. 591 00:40:19.989 --> 00:40:22.900 If you want to get trained and equipped to do sidewalk counseling, which 592 00:40:22.900 --> 00:40:23.860 is what you hear US talk about a lot of times, you can go 593 00:40:23.900 --> 00:40:29.179 to our website, sidewalks for lifecom, sidewalks the number four and lifecom. 594 00:40:29.699 --> 00:40:32.699 Hope you guys follow us on Facebook, Charlotte cities for life. You can 595 00:40:32.739 --> 00:40:36.409 go to our website, CHARLOTTE DOT cities for Life Dot Org. You can 596 00:40:36.449 --> 00:40:40.889 connect with me, dparts at cities for lifecom, or Vicky at Vicki Cossi, 597 00:40:40.929 --> 00:40:45.650 or Vikassi Org at cities for lifecom. Let us know what you think 598 00:40:45.650 --> 00:40:50.159 about the podcast. Give us some suggestions of future episode. Share the podcast 599 00:40:50.280 --> 00:40:57.400 with other people, but until next time, God bless, use, use, 600 00:40:59.880 --> 00:41:21.460 give me, give me, cost me my life, but got these 601 00:41:21.619 --> 00:41:22.619 two precious