The Odds Are Not in Our Favor

For a brief stint of my life, I spent some time in sales—specifically, as a financial advisor and insurance specialist. I worked for a great company and made meaningful friendships. With that being said, I am so thankful to be back in full time ministry!

I remember the training we received before we could legally interact with clients, as well as the industry statistics shared and ingrained into our minds. For every 50 fifty phone calls dialed, you might set 8-10 appointments. (If people answer the phone.) For every 8-10 appointments set, you could make 1-2 sales (If people keep the appointment.) With those odds, a successful financial advisor, insurance specialist, or any salesman building their business, must keep the phones dialed and the roads hot to make something happen. The more tries, the better the odds, but the odds are never in your favor. You will hear “no” much more than you hear “yes”. For those who refuse to give up, the sky is the limit. For those who get easily discouraged, they will starve. So is the life of a salesman.

Compare that to the success rate of sharing our faith. If it takes 50 phone calls, to set 8-10 appointments, to persuade 1 or 2 people to plan for retirement, manage their money, or map out insurance needs, why would persuading someone about their soul and their salvation have any better odds? When it comes to leading others to Christ, we often give up way too soon.

In Acts 17, while Paul and his companions were visiting Athens, Paul faced tremendously unfavorable odds (for about the 157^th time). After reasoning with the Athenians in the Areopagus about idolatry and pagan gods, Luke provided this assessment of their conversation— “When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, ‘We want to hear you again on this subject’” (Acts 17:32, NIV). A divided audience owned the room. Some walked out in disgust. Others stayed around for more dialogue. But it was not just in this setting. It was true for the apostles who were told by Jesus to shake the dust off their feet and head for the next village. It was true for Peter and John standing before the Sanhedrin. It was true for Timothy ministering in Ephesus, when some listened while others returned to their Jewish roots or pagan routines. It will be true for you. It will be true for me. Most people we try to reach will say “no”. A few will say “yes”. But the “yes” pond will always be smaller than the “no” ocean. Jesus promised it would be this way in Matthew 7:13-14, “For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

 Do not throw in the towel because of “no.” Keep teaching the truth to hear “yes”. The odds may not be in our favor, but God’s favor always will be. If you love that friend, neighbor, co-worker, or family member enough to try once, love them enough to keep trying. In the end, you will be so glad that you did. And so will they.