Don’t try to convince anyone of anything. Once and for all, we have to stop trying to teach other people. I’m not trying to teach you now, I hope. I’m just trying to tell you what I think is true. Then you can do with it, what you want. But it can’t be my desire to convince you and to win in an argument. I can only, to use a Scriptural word, “bear witness” or “make testimony.” But I can’t have as my goal to convert the other. And that’s even true with evangelization. We’re not out there to convert people. We’re out there to bring them the joy of the victory of God in Christ. What they do with it is between them and God.
Fr. Thomas Hopko
In number forty-three of these Maxims for Christian Living I can’t help but think of my children and my duty of raising them up in the Lord. I, more often then not, bear bad witness to them and then we try desperately to convince them our way is the best way. In reality, most especially now that they are older and needing to make their own decisions, needing to claim our faith for themselves, we just need to bear witness of love and joy to them. Acceptance and empathy would go a very long way. Not with so many words but by our actions.
Have a blessed week!
Kindler of Joy! 