Let’s keep it simple.
If you can absorb our most recent lesson in Psalms 119, you are aware that just walking in faith is itself a witness to others. At some point, you have to put words with that walk to answer those who will want to understand what they see.
In broad general terms, if this person has been influenced by mainstream Christianity, we take a different conversational tack. People outside that influence might have all kinds of different backgrounds, but in my experience, it’s not too hard to simply start with talking about a heart-led focus of awareness. I can even mention being Christian Mystic without having to fight off too many false assumptions about the label. If I’m dealing with the mainstream Christian bunch, it usually requires starting somewhere else.
Most of the time, I remind them that the Bible came from Hebrew people, and that such people had a totally different set of assumptions about this world (epistemology). That should be patently obvious, but by the same token, most folks aren’t aware just how radical the difference is. So having gotten that point across, I next have to ensure they realize that our society’s worldview is not superior. That is a tall order in most cases. Convincing folks that the Hebrew assumptions are valid is often where the conversation gets hung up. I don’t mind spending time explaining it as best I can, but this is the single biggest failure point. When it fails, it’s as if the notion that God created the Hebrew worldview is simply incredible to them.
But assuming I can get past that, the next issue is making sure they understand that Judaism is not Hebraic in that sense. This is the second biggest failure point. As you might expect, adherents to Judaism have done a very good job of selling the idea that they are faithful to the ancient traditions. As you might expect, this is when I run into Zionist sympathies.
The final few who tolerate that idea are ready to discuss heart-led faith.
We aren’t selling conversion. Conversion is a reasoning process on the human level; it should be a natural result, not the objective. We are pointing out the path of truth so that the hearer can know, and only their own faith can make it happen.
I think I need to print this out, fold it up and put it in my pocket for a while. And then I need to read it and re-read it and re-read it. Absolutely basic and since I build a clock to tell someone what time it is, I need basic. Thanks!