Pack Your Bags, We're Going on a Guilt Trip...

I was recently driving through Louisville to pick my kids up and I noticed a sign out front of a building. It said something along the lines of "a portion of every dollar spent here goes to…"and they listed an organization. I'm not 100% certain what the organization was (check the P.S. below) but I was distracted by the "buy here and we'll do this good deed" attitude. What a horrible motivation! Were they suggesting their products are not good enough to sell on their own accord so they had to attempt to tug at our heart strings? Is this an attempt to manipulate people to buy?

Manipulation is wrong but prevalent...even in the church.

For example: Christians are to pray for others. I just spent several weeks looking at prayer in the New Testament and I noticed something. Jesus never said pray for your enemies SO THEY WILL COME TO HIM. Paul never said pray for your enemies SO THEY WILL GIVE THEIR LIVES TO CHRIST. In fact, we are never told in Scripture, but I'm sure you have often heard the "love-them-to-Christ" mentality. 

What a manipulated, sad, and twisted faith!

We are supposed to pray for and love others, period. Don't add to, don't take away. Love and pray for others.

When Jesus began teaching about praying for (and loving) our enemies, he was not intending it as a way to guilt them to repentance or salvation. He taught us to pray for and love our enemies because it was about doing the right thing. I'm praying today that you do the right thing. Love and pray for those who are against you. The power of the cross is strong enough without manipulation or guilt, do you agree?

all about Christ,
David

P.S. I believe the group they were raising support for was Wounded Warrior Project. I love what this group does. If you'd like to support them without being coerced into buying a product from some store, then just give here. Simple.