The perfect life strategy didn't work for Jesus, so don't try it yourself

I hate it when people steal. Stealing of materials (like lawn mowers, cars, or illegal downloads) or material (ideas from people like jokes or even biblical insight-WHEN they have PROPER time/need to give reference; just my personal opinion). So I'll tell you this up front: someone pointed out something really cool to me the other day during my discussion leading "Training Day."

Now that I got that off my chest, and can limit my hypocrisy (all people are hypocrites I think-just to what degree), I want to share with you something I think is pretty cool. It concerns personal evangelism strategy.

Some people think they they can live godly, near perfect lives, in front of others in hopes that this near perfect life would make those around them say-in a nutshell-"Tell me about Jesus because I want this life that you're living." But if you study the gospels carefully, you'll see that this strategy didn't work for Jesus. His brothers and even his mother (yes even mother Mary) were concerned about his sanity (Mark 3:20-ff). It wasn't until after Jesus' resurrection that we see his brother James really come on to the scene.

Since the perfect life strategy didn't work for Jesus, it shouldn't be our M.O. The Jesus-centered life of faith and repentance is something people don't see very often. And they want to. So relax if you 'mess up' and repent. Repenting is more likely to get others thinking than this attempt at near-perfection. Going and repenting is more Jesus-centered than staying and trying to be good. Who knows, you may one day point them to Jesus, and not yourself....?