“Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.” — Colossians 3:16 (NLT)
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Charles Barkley is unforgettable. He was an 11-time All-Star in the NBA and also won the league’s MVP award in 1993. He rebounded and played defense better than most, and was also good at scoring and passing. Even though he didn’t win as many games as he’d like when he played for the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets, his teammates and coaches enjoyed his jokes and silly sayings. He has a knack for humor that’s made him a superstar as a television commentator. Despite how boring or lopsided some games can be, people stay tuned just to hear what Barkley is going to say. He’s often funny, upbeat and positive.
We don’t know if the apostles told a lot of jokes, but we do know they followed the example of Jesus by finding ways to communicate with all kinds of people in order to bring them to the foot of the cross and point them to Heaven. Things like humor and music can bring people from every background together. The best communicators study people and find the best way to share the Gospel of Christ with them. We should always include Scripture as we share, but we can put it in different packages. “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:15b).
In conversations inside and outside of churches, we can hear griping and grumbling. In the back of our minds, we know we shouldn’t be so negative but we tend to follow others when they express sour attitudes. This issue is nothing new, as we see when Paul spoke to believers, he emphasized staying positive and not focusing on what they disliked. “Do everything without grumbling or arguing” (Philippians 2:14). Even though most of us wouldn’t be as funny as Barkley, we can do better at looking on the bright side, seeing the good in people, and being an encouragement to others rather than constantly sharing criticism.
When we keep a pleasant attitude among us and desire to be an encouragement to others, people will be more likely to want to stick around and listen to the message as we share about Him. “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ” (Romans 10:17). The more people hear about Him, the more faith will be stirred up, and as faith is stirred up, the more people will be drawn to the global church where they can find Truth and Life. And that’s what it’s all about — making Heaven more crowded.
— Bill Kent, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, Sylvania, Georgia
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