Late at night, television programming features some of the craftiest shows: infomercials. These strategically designed scripts often feature the inventor of the product being marketed and a celebrity to catch the attention of the audience and lure them into buying. If you watch one in its entirety, you’ll notice a myriad of clever techniques: a list of all the benefits of the product, a display of its ease of use, and a few stories of converted skeptics. The tactics are plentiful and clever; yet, for most critical people, they don’t work.
The Bible likens preaching the gospel to sowing seeds (Mt 13). And on our own personal journey to witness to our own close friends and family members, we meet some of the most hard-hearted audiences. They can be as critical toward the gospel as most of us are when dealing with infomercials. It seems no matter which approach we take to present the gospel to them, they still will not believe there is a God, or that the doctrines of the True Jesus Church are true.
Fact after fact can be thrown at the atheist’s mind. But they may throw back facts to uphold their own positions. You can show someone what the Bible has to say about salvation, but they may still insist on their own convictions.
When faced with these circumstances, what more can be done than to kneel down to pray? You show God your love for your friends and family by praying with sweat and tears. God will remember all the tears we shed; not one is in vain. Only God can break a hardened heart and rescue it from hell. He promises in Ezekiel 36:26: "I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."
But sowing in tears cannot be a one-night event, finished and later forgotten. Rather it is a daily effort that demonstrates our faith in Jesus Christ, just as Abraham walked faithfully trusting in God and Joseph waited through thirteen years of trial with patience. Our true faith is demonstrated over time. Therefore, let us sow in tears. And let us reap in joy when God is able to win their hearts.
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