Jehovah's Witnesses at the Door

I had a very pleasant conversation with some Jehovah's Witnesses this morning.  I posted about it on Facebook and got slightly rebuked by the owner of the house we are housesitting.  His comment was that he had finally gotten them to go away and never come back by telling them he was a pastor and openly gay.  Now he was afraid that my hospitality would have them ringing his doorbell again.

This just didn't set well with me.  I know that people always look for ways of brushing off JW's and Mormons.  We just don't want to get into it with them.  But are we really acting in a Christian manner just to come up with a way of offending them to make them leave?

Is it very loving to purposely offend someone?  I don't think so.  In thinking about the situation, I think Jesus would have talked to the people.  Jesus would have looked for a way to love them and to engage them.

And also, although I am secure in my faith, I am not haughty enough to think that I have all the right answers and that I do not have something that I can learn.  I also look at this as a way of sharing my faith with them.  I don't see how that can ever be a wrong thing.  If we are so certain that they are wrong, then aren't we honor bound to share our truth with them also?  (No, I do not advocate pounding people with the Faith Hammer.)

I remember some "Christian" who talked about how having Gays come into the church would be a sign that the Holy Spirit wanted that person to speak the TRUTH to the gays.  I wondered if the Holy Spirit was bringing the gays into the church to speak the TRUTH to the church.  How do I not know that maybe there was a word of truth for me in what these women were saying?

Actually, I have great respect for JW's; what they do is not easy.  How many of us would go from door to door knowing that we would probably be subject to ridicule or even have the door slammed?  I would love to have a congregation that was willing to put legs on their faith and go out into the world.  That takes more faith and more courage than we find in most pews.

I am glad I had the opportunity to speak to these two kind ladies.