Mark 1:5
The
professional realm of public relations can be a tricky business. In today’s
focus group and survey driven world, the success of the project often depends
on people accepting what you say, how you say it, and the product itself. It is
not enough to have a good product, products don’t sell themselves. Almost every
product has competition, and winning your share of the market can mean the
difference between profit and loss, a new IPO and bankruptcy.
John
the Baptist had a difficult message to present. He called people to repent,
audibly confess their sins and then be baptized. This would certainly not fly
in our modern societal context. Or would it? This is a complicated question
because it involves not only the product, repentance-confession-baptism, but
also the method of delivery.
Something
about this combination, the message, John the Baptist and the people of his
day, worked. But I doubt any focus group would have approved his message. It
was a tough road to follow John’s plan. This was no easy thing to respond to
the LORD in repentance. He required commitment, humility, and transparency. You
had to be real!
And
look at the response. People came from the countryside and the city to hear
what John had to say, and to respond to his message. Everyone had to travel. It
took effort to do what the LORD required.
Is
it enough to proclaim the Truth? Do we have responsibility for the response?
Are we held liable for the delivery? These are some of the questions that we
need to consider. I think we do have responsibility for the way we deliver the
Truth and consequently in how it is received. Blunt force trauma Gospel
presentations are not necessarily an effective means to persuading people to
receive God’s grace. Perhaps there are better means available.