"Next!"

Thirty years ago, I was involved in a multi-level marketing company called Nu Skin. Although it didn’t prosper me financially as I hoped, it was a valuable learning experience. Many recruiting tips I learned in MLM were later applied in evangelism outreaches. One of which was not taking it personally when someone rejects what is offered to them.

One Nu Skin distributor taught this analogy. Let’s suppose you excitedly call your neighbor saying, “Jim, I found gold buried in my backyard! Get a shovel and bucket and get all you want!”


“Well, I’m a little busy right now.”


“Didn’t you hear me, Jim? There’s gold in my backyard! Get a shovel and bucket and get all you want!”


“Well, I really don’t have a shovel and bucket.”


“Darn it, Jim! Just go BUY a shovel and bucket!”


“Do you know how much shovels and buckets cost?”


The distributor concluded the analogy by advising, “Folks, will you please learn to do this?” He then waved his arm like moving something out of the way and declared, “Next!” Negative people always look for reasons to reject things that appear too good to be true. As I heard other Nu Skin distributors point out, “Some will…some won’t…so what? Next!”


That is certainly true with the gospel. Not everyone you approach will be receptive to walking on streets of gold for eternity. Even when someone refuses a tract from me, I can still plant a seed in their heart by saying, “Jesus loves you.” Then I move on to the next person the Lord leads me to.


There’s an old saying, “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.” As much as God doesn’t want anyone to perish, we cannot allow ourselves to grow despondent when individuals reject Jesus. It’s their decision.


“He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.” - Luke 10:16


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