The Art of Persuasion
What would persuade you?
Aristotle outlined a formula on how to master the art of persuasion. This was more than 2,000 years ago in his work Rehtoric.
The world has caught on masterfully in this art of persuasion.
Have you ever fallen for a product that was nothing like the advertisement? I once bought a mini-wash machine that might be convenient when traveling. I was surprised when it was only a tiny collapsable bowl perfect for watering a dog. I didn’t spend that much, so I took a video and sent it to my granddaughter. I got my money’s worth by hearing her giggle.
Many years ago, my husband and I owned a Ford truck. The truck is long gone, yet we still get scam calls wanting us to renew our warranty. It’s such a farce.
We also get calls from the IRS, bill collectors, and lawyers. They are all scam artists specializing in fake sales tactics. We are under constant bombardment in today’s age with scams, myths, fairytales, superheroes, magic tricks, horror stories, and tales of aliens and monsters.
Standing next to all this, we have the Bible. It’s just an old book, brought down through many ages. When we are so mesmerized by all the visual and audio stimuli of make-believe, how can we even entertain the idea of this old book being valid today?
In the age of skepticism, can we be persuaded to believe the story of the Bible? From a sea spontaneously parting down the middle to a man being swallowed by a big fish, and from a speaking donkey to a worldwide flood with two of every kind of animal on a big boat, this book seems like a vast fiction story.
The pinnacle is the story of a hero born from a virgin birth. The Messiah, Jesus Christ, would walk on water, perform healings, and various other miracles. Jesus would rid man of the plague by the evil monster, Satan. The superhero would do this through life, death, burial, and resurrection. The story ends with all evil eradicated from this earth and establishing a heavenly kingdom with everlasting peace. And therein lies the happily-ever-after ending.
How can we be duped into believing this?
My answer is, I don’t know.
However, in my Jenny-right mind, which might not be someone else’s right mind, I trust the story and the God portrayed in the Bible. Personally, time after time, He has proven Himself to be true. I have a constant never-failing companion who gives assurance. He turned on His light of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. I no longer walk in darkness, which eradicated my fear of death.
I have a peace-of-mind, comfort-of-soul, strength-for-endurance, love-unconditionally, guilt-free, sin-free, washed-clean, never-alone, free-forever, and confident-in-Him, life.
Phew! That’s a lot.
There is so much more that I receive out of this relationship with God through Jesus Christ. He blesses me, and I feel His protective presence when I walk through tough times. I believe in His promise of a happy-ending paradise. In Him, I have perfect tranquility.
Isn’t tranquility one thing people seek?
Although exercise, yoga, meditation, acupuncture, and various physical, philosophical, mystical, and spiritual forms can give us temporary calm, my recommendation is the Triune God of the Bible. I can only tell you what God has done for me, but who am I? In the eyes of the world, I am a “nobody."
However, in God’s eyes, I am cherished and loved. He has adopted me to be the child of a king.
I hope you will be different from the man named Aggripa, mentioned in Acts 26.
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” (Acts 26:28, )
Aggripa was almost persuaded to believe, but he sat on the fence of indecision. He could have reaped the benefits of accepting Christ and being adopted into His kingdom.
The bottom line is this; we will choose to believe or not. We must fall or stand for something. Will you be persuaded to buy into this or not? If not, then you made a decision for today.
