Day 23: Not Dousing Curiosity

This is a point that I, a pitcher pourer, am trying to discern and one I could not have made better:

“As we have conversations with curious people, we should be sensitive to what level of interest they actually have.  Tuvya Zaretsky, a friend who works with Jews for Jesus, asks a great question: “Would you pour out a whole pitcher of water if all they are holding is a little Dixie cup? No, you would only pour out a few ounces.” Tuvya’s right.  We need to give people what they ask for instead of pouring out everything we know about God the first time they display a Dixie cup’s worth of curiosity.  If they have just a thimbleful of curiosity, we could actually douse that small curiosity by answering their small, limited question with a hungred and one apologetic answers we’ve been waiting to “use” on someone.  Try not to dump five gallons of answers an a six-ounce question.  Try to assess your friend’s curiosity and respond in kind.  This approach is much more likely to result in the growth of their curiosity over time.”

From page 62 of I Once Was Lost: What Postmodern Skeptics Taught Us about the Path to Jesus, Don Everts and Doug Schaupp.

Another aha moment I gained from this chapter?  When unbelievers are starting to search for meaning, they often don’t just search one religion, they are dabbling in many at this point.  Curiosity usually opens a mind on many fronts.

Sooooo, tomorrow we will be chat about becoming a pointer to Jesus.

Part of the series, 40 Days of Cross-Shaped Evangelism.  We are now gleaning from Everts and Schaupp’s book, a must read to understanding good news bearing in our context.

You can journey with me through the subject by clicking here.