"It's difficult to promote that which you don't admire"

Mike Rowe was speaking about manual skilled-labor jobs, and how a certain educated class comes across when discussing manual labor, when he said: "It's difficult to promote that which you don't admire." Without getting into the class politics behind that conversation, I hope we can agree that he's right about what it takes to promote something.

While I wouldn't call evangelism "promotion" because it has connotations that I don't intend, still I think the principle applies. I believe that many people are held back in their discussion of Jesus, and of faith relationships, and of the value of religion, by that same problem: we view evangelism as a duty or a proof or a teaching, and may have heard little of what is good about faith and religion. But do we admire Jesus? (Isn't that necessary for worship?) Are we appreciative of his influence in our own lives, our own families, our own cultures? Are we grateful for Jesus' role in our own quest for understanding the world and for loving our neighbors? How about our hope for the future? Have we admired the way in which moral teachings add topcover and strength to our lives and our families and our personal ties?

Before a Christian speaks about Jesus, I think that may be an essential part of our preparation: that first we take a good long look to understand why we admire him.