“The Da Vinci Code and a Hunger for Something More” Stephen Shields

The Da Vinci Code and a Hunger for Something More is a great article in NextWave by Stephen Shields.

When we live lives characterized by an obvious and abundant love for God and others motivated by our being overwhelmed by Christ’s love for us (2 Cor. 5:14,15), then we are precisely in the position where someone might really ask us “for a reason for the hope that is in you “ and we have the opportunity “to make a defense” (1 Peter 3:15b, English Standard Version). People are attracted to optimism and hope; they crave it. When they see a peace in us that transcends our surroundings and circumstance, they often become genuinely curious as to why. And then The Da Vinci Code, the Gospel of Judas, etc provide us with opportunities to give them the reason for our joy and confidence.

There will be those situations where, outside of the context of an ongoing relationship, an amazing conversation can lead to someone deciding to become a Jesus-follower. And those conversations can also occur around The Da Vinci Code. But perhaps most of the time with most believers, the finest transformational conversations precipitated by The Da Vinci Code or The Gospel of Judas occur within the context of an ongoing friendship where folks actually get the fragrant aroma of Jesus in the life of His follower.

It is the evidence of our lives that turns folks from being merely Jesus-haunted to being witnesses of the Christ that lives in us (Gal. 2:20).

Then they will ask and then we can tell.