The Theology of Kurtis

Recently a friend of mine posted on an encounter he had with a man named Kurtis. You can find the full story here, but the gist of it is that Mike met a man who asked if he had cigarettes. Although Mike had none, he offered to buy the man some and then sat down and told him about Jesus.

Now, I imagine that had I heard this story years ago, I would have been shocked and quite offended. This past week, I decided I had been at least four very different people since I turned 16. The earliest of which was a rather religious, self-righteous girl. I grew up attending a Christian school that consistently preached the "evil sin" of smoking (and everything else). My initial self-righteous reaction to Mike's ministry (and I DO think this was ministry) would have been negative and condeming of Mike's actions. Who I am today (and I thank God He is changing me) realizes what Mike's heart and conscience and spirit and life were screaming: KNOWING JESUS is more important than discouraging smoking. If Kurtis finds God, the addiction can be kicked spiritually (which is much more effective than the patch).

I want my actions to loudly proclaim that knowing Jesus is more important than anything else. Change follows Christ, and He makes all things new. If I am not condemning or self-righteous, He can use me like He's using Mike to reach people who need Him most. He didn't come for the well but for the sick.

Don't aggrandize what I am saying. I'm not advocating a "let's buy cigarettes and pass them out with tracks printed on the packaging." I'm saying let's minister in a way that demonstrates the love of God. What happened to believing in the words of that old hymn that say "Come just as you are."