Continued....

Still reading Sweet's book and I have gotten to the chapter that fires up my soul, "Our relationship with those outside the faith and with those who are different". Leonard talks my language when he talks about what evangelism is supposed to be. And I quote, "The key to evangelism is to be receivers of others--ushers to the Other, not users of others. In receiving others, we enter into their world of abundant otherness--their experiences, their thought patterns, their stories. In using others, we treat people as objects and hope to get something out of them (a conversion, a donation, their acquiescence to our argument). One can receive others and celebrate their stories without buying into their every perspective. This is how the early Christians dealt with the multiplicity of faiths in the ancient world. They did not blast away at other religions. They simply made the ultimate claim for Jesus as the Son of God with everything that was in them."
Later in the chapter, Sweet makes the claim that evangelism is being in relationship with the others and that relationship is best described as "having a meal" with them. Sitting with someone to a meal is very spiritual, very...relational. I had to think about the people that I eat meals with, my wife and two boys and my friend Lyndon(when we are working in the same area). With that in mind, who are the closest people to me at this point of my life? My wife and boys and friend. This then begs the question, how then do I enter into relationships with the others? By sitting down to a meal with them regularly. How is this done? By my being intentional about entering into relationships with others. Maybe that is vague and I do not wish it to be, but that is all that I can say. Be intentional. Be aware of my surroundings and especially those that are in them. Being led by God's Spirit in my daily wonderings, as I go.
I want to end with a very refreshing statement Sweet quotes from The Hobbit. "In the journeys of Bilbo Baggins through forest and dale, Bilbo and his companions came to rest in the house of Elrond. '[Elrond's house] was perfect, whether you liked food, or sleep, or work or story-telling, or singing, or just sitting and thinking best, or a pleasant mixture of them all...All of them, the ponies as well, grew refreshed and strong in a few days there. Their clothes were mended as well as their bruises, their tempers and their hopes'". Don't you want to be at Elrond's house? Can't you smell the green grass? Are you enraptured with peace and tranquility? I can actually feel warmth of the sun on my face as well as the gentle breeze across by body. Isn't this not only what we want but what we should want for the others? Thy Kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.