Why Don't They "Get It"?!!!

I spent many years in sales and marketing roles for the high-tech industry before transitioning to full-time ministry. During that time, my sales teams were tasked with educating potential customers of the value of our solutions, whatever they were at the time. Over time, we developed a sense of feel for the likelihood of a successful sale not long after the engagement process had begun. It wasn’t a bulletproof formula - maybe it’s best described as a gut feeling or a hunch. The most efficient sales teams would identify potential very quickly and either hone their focus or cut bait to save themselves a lot of time and aggravation.Some customers just “got it” right away and life was good! We’d present our solution to the decision-makers and this was all that was required. The typical reason wasn’t blind trust in our company, but rather an immediate recognition of a critical need, which our company’s products or services could fulfill for them. That was the key, you see. The customer had to first understand that they lacked something (sometimes we’d have to reveal this to them also); and second, the customer had to see that our company could solve their problem.On the flip side, some customers just didn’t “get it”. The frustration was very often that the people we were trying to educate were clinging to a different, often antiquated, perspective that precluded them from understanding the value proposition on the table. This typically meant a longer sale with a higher likelihood of failure because we’d have to dig a little deeper and address the perspective issue first (What good is a solution in the absence of an identified problem?). Some customers just weren’t interested in such a dialogue, so we’d part ways. Back at the home office, the sales team would have to explain to management why we couldn’t close the deal. We’d express our frustration with the aforementioned roadblocks and management would give us tips on how to approach the next customer struggling with the same issues.Again, the key to success was our audience understanding their own problem statement first. Once we were all on the same sheet of music, a meaningful dialogue about solving said problem could be forged and executed upon.

Every day I run into people with the biggest problem statement of all - spiritual death. Sadly, most of them either don’t recognize the problem at all or don’t see it as a big problem, maybe something they can deal with whenever they have some spare time. UGH!!! Unfortunately, if I can even manage to get some time with them to talk about their issue, the vast majority don’t “get it”. In the same way I described above, trying to give them the solution to a problem they don’t recognize is like trying to sell ice to an Eskimo. I hope you get the point.In all fairness to the unbelievers I’ve tried to evangelize, some have actually given me some space to state my case on behalf of Christ. But even then, most lack the perspective needed for a fruitful conversation to occur. Out of politeness, and even respect for my own beliefs, I’ve received a lot of head nods and crooked smiles, but underneath the facade I can see that my audience is just biding time until said politeness wears off and we part ways. What I’ve learned (hence this blog) is that the issue is the same - people lack perspective and therefore true wisdom. And because of this, I am often faced with a person who shackles me with the constraints of human wisdom and then burdens me with proving to them why the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the solution to their problem, if they even recognize they have one, of course.I cannot, and will not, argue my case for Christ to an audience who wants me to do so within the constraints of human wisdom! Yet, this is precisely what most unbelievers demand. If I use language beyond their wisdom, transcending their earthly perspective, they count me foolish. The only unbelievers I’m able to have a meaningful conversation with are the ones who recognize they have a problem that they need real help solving. This is what the Bible calls fertile soil (Matthew 13).

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.”

Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
 
For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.

But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”Our encouragement is that this issue of people not “getting it” isn’t a novel concept. In fact, Paul wrote about it extensively above and elsewhere in his epistles. The simple fact of the matter is that arrogant mankind will always try to box an evangelist into a conversation that is infinitely limited in scope. That is to say, that since the Gospel of Jesus Christ addresses the supernatural problem statement of spiritual death, the solution cannot be addressed in terms of human wisdom.In his arrogance, man supposes that he is able to save himself. This was apparently the rich young ruler’s issue when he asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life” (Luke 18:18)? You see, man always wants to “do” something without considering a change in perspective first. He supposes that it’s just a matter of effort, as is the case with most earthly endeavors. But the Gospel isn’t an earthly endeavor at all, it is a Heavenly one; therefore, it must be addressed appropriately.Human wisdom has never found a way to save a single soul and it never will. The so-called wisest men throughout human history have considered us believers as fools (By the way, the Greek word for “fool” is also translated “moron”). Yet, it is this “foolishness” that God uses to shame the “wise” (1 Corinthians 1:27). A change of perspective is what God affords the humble. “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE” (James 4:6b). Without this change in perspective, from dependence on human wisdom to dependence on godly wisdom, a person is stuck arguing a case from a position of utter futility.Our job, as evangelists, is to avoid the trap of arguing from a dead man’s perspective. We must present our case for Christ from a position of being alive in Christ and in possession of godly wisdom.No matter what kind of proof man desires, no matter how much human wisdom he seeks to possess, he’ll never find salvation any other way than in what he considers “foolishness” in his flesh - the Cross. Until man “gets it”, he’ll never listen.

Love in Christ,

Ed Collins