Musing this morning about how easy it is to effectively “vaccinate” people against committing to Christ–not by making it too hard, but by making it too easy.

We so want to see them come into the kingdom of God that we wheedle, we smooth their way, we downplay the sacrifices involved in total obedience. And sometimes we persuade them, but it’s only a skin-deep conversion. They eventually drift away in the same way they drifted in…only now they think they understand what Christianity is all about, so they’re twice as resistant.

Jesus didn’t chase after the rich young ruler who turned away. He didn’t soften the terms, or give him a pep talk about how awesome it would be to follow Him. He watched the young man walk away. Who knows? Maybe the young man later changed his mind.

I’ve wheedled and “loved” people into spirit-numbing half-commitments. I hope I’ve learned my lesson. Real love carries a cross.

© 2014 Deborah Morris