The problem being, however, that sometimes the messenger's zeal is accompanied by such unpleasant behavior that the the message itself is lost.
One would hope that that person who accepts the burden of carrying God's truth to others, would do so in humility. But we all too often do not.
St. James had it right:
So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. (James 3:5-10)
I'd encourage you to talk with regular teenagers sometime, about their opinions of Christians. You'll quickly discover that those opinions are often quite negative; not because of the message itself, but rather because of the people who presume to carry that message into the world.
They sense a rather prevalent arrogance and dismissiveness among those who claim to represent Christianity -- perhaps especially among those who call themselves "Evangelical."
Certainly not all, or even most, Christians are that way -- evangelical or otherwise. But there are those self-appointed messengers who leave their humility at home, and they do great damage.
I’d encourage you to talk with regular teenagers sometime, about their opinions of Christians. You’ll quickly discover that those opinions are often quite negative; not because of the message itself, but rather because of the people who presume to carry that message into the world.
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I disagree. I used to work with teenagers (both as a teacher and a church youth director). Their negative view of Christians is because of how Christians are portrayed in the media, movies, TV, news, etc.
Several years ago, I had a friend, upon finding out that I was a Born Again Christian responded with a shocked look and an exclamaition of “No you’re not! You don’t act anything like the people in that movie ‘Saved’!!” I had similar conversations with a few other friends.
Her impression of Christians was not from personal experience but from media portrayal. BTW, that friend is now a Born Again Christian.
There is a lot of hatred of Christianity based upon Hollywood’s views rather than actual experience.
I talk to lots of teens and there is not one that I would classify as "regular", LOL!
But some of them are Christians, and a couple of them are zealous Christians. And those who are not Christians don't seem to be bothered by those who are.
Fixed...