As I was walking around campus last week, I came across a group of people in the Brickyard with a sign that said, "Ask an Atheist." I was late for class and didn't have time to talk to any of them but I did catch parts of their conversations with people as I walked by. They were mostly talking to Christians about how the Bible is wrong and how foolish it is to believe in God. If I had stumbled across this scene a few years ago, I can almost guarantee that I would have gotten into a heated argument and been furious at these people for belittling my beliefs. My initial intentions would mostly likely have been to convert this person and show them how stupid they were for being an atheist. Then, as the debate progressed, I would have just wanted to win the debate and prove how high and mighty I was for believing in God and following Jesus.
However, as I listened to these conversations, I realized how differently I now view non-Christians. I no longer see them as adversaries to conquer in a debate. I see them lost, broken individuals who need to be shown the light of the Gospel. Whereas before I would have been angry at them, now I pity them because they do not know their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I finally began to see what Jesus meant when he said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing." People are desperately seeking satisfaction and meaning, but they will only truly find them in God. Instead, they seek meaning in their own endeavors, relationships, and false idols. They are blinded by the world and really do not realize what the consequences of their actions are. They are infatuated with the things of this world and lost all sight of eternity.
All the anger that I once had against those who mocked me has faded away; God has changed my heart. In its place, He has put love. The love that my God has for me compels me love everyone, no matter how they treat me. Love that surpasses all understanding. It is God's love for me that drives my desire to share the Gospel and go out and make disciples of all nations. And when that desire finally meets action, God does big things.
