Reasonable Listener

4/2/16                            Chris                      about 30

Ever get “Déjà vu”?  Two out of three people have experienced the distinct feeling that they have already had a particular experience in the past.  Many believe it to be evidence of reincarnation.  They think that since they can’t remember when they have already done something in this life, then it must have happened in a former life.  From there they conclude that if they had a life before this one, then they will have another life like this after.   

A man at a McDonald’s named Chris used that sort of reasoning, so I used a little reasoning in return.  “How many dreams do you think you have in a night?”  “Dozens” he said.  “Do you remember them all?”  “Oh no, I remember very few.” “And some of them you only remember later when something triggers the memory, right?”  “Yes, exactly” he said. “So don’t you think the chances are pretty great that once in a while you will do something very similar to what you’ve dreamed about in the past?”  “Yes, that makes a lot of sense” he said.  From there I went on to explain the biblical view, that “…people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment”  (Hebrews 9:27)  The Bible says there is no second chance after this life – there is no such thing as reincarnation. 

So was my reasoning about déjà vu and dreams worth anything?  I know better than to think I can reason anyone into repentance and faith.  Faith comes by hearing the word of God, but in this outreach conversation with Chris it was helpful to win his trust as a reasonable person, before sharing from the Bible.   The faith that comes by hearing the word of God can and should be a reasonable faith, and it should come from us as reasonable people.  We don’t have to be experts, but it helps to be good listeners and to respond thoughtfully as we share the Gospel.