Consider Your Ways (Haggai 1:5)
I spoke with a man today, about his spiritual condition. It was a simple statement: "Have you given thought to your spiritual condition?" Answer: "It is fine!," and plainly intended to say, "...and that is the end of the matter." What is a person to do, knowing full well that the individual does not understand the consequence of their statement? The Lord encouraged Israel, "Consider you ways." How often do we truly consider our ways? When Jesus "saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were distressed and scattered, as sheep not having a shepherd." Do we pay attention? Solomon once said, "The way of the wicked is a darkness: They know not at what they stumble," and thus "they know not to do right" (Amos). When men turn from God, to serve idols, "none calleth to mind, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree? He feedeth on ashes; a deceived heart hath turned him aside; and he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?" What a bitter end!
I think you were fortunate to receive an answer in which the person at least made a decisive statement. Your question could have been answered with merely a yes or no. I do believe that our questions and expression of spiritual concern for others needs to express itself in something other than "yes or no questions", lest we set ourselves up for a closed door from the get-go. However, even with a circumstance such as you described, we need to have the courage to take the next step and then inquire something to the effect of, "what is it about your spirituality that you take comfort in?" so as to either get a discussion going or to have them specifically state that they are not interested in discussing it with us. Other than querying further, about the only thing we could say would be to express concern and interest in spiritual matters and invite a study or discussion concerning life application of biblical principles. Our best and most sincere form of additional concern for those we encounter is to take it to the Lord in prayer and then look for further opportunities to discuss Him with them - even if its just making remarks of a spiritual nature to their every day conversations. Sometimes all we can do is to let them know that if they have questions, we will make ourselves available and then leave the ball in their court.
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