I IRRITATE people.

I had it from a relative.

It went something like this: “The trouble with you and my Christian friends is that you see me as needing to be saved, another notch on your Bible. I’m not conversion material. Why can’t you simply love me?”

Nothing like telling you straight and I have to admit that she was right.

One of my favourite Bible passages is John chapter 3 v 16: “God loved the world so much that gave his unique Son, that anyone who believes in Him will not perish but will have eternal life instead.” (My translation.)

Unlike me, God didn’t analyse the best statistical approach, manipulate the conversation, apply psychological techniques etc, God loved.

He simply loved and the big turning point in eternity happened.

I decided to do the same.

There was one elderly person who, to be polite, was difficult.

After 40 years of trying to evangelise them I started giving them time instead, taking them on outings, not giving up when they rejected me, treating all their odd mannerisms as normal.

I simply loved and prayed for them.

The response was unexpected.

I got smiles, I got “Thank you.”, I even got a hug.

I actually enjoyed, felt privileged even, taking them home.

It was a different relationship to anything I could have imagined.

They became so precious to me that their sudden death hit me more strongly than I could have imagined.

The person I lost was an atheist who believed there was nothing once you died.

As far as I know.

Perhaps the coma which they didn’t come out of was an opportunity for God to get a word in but, as my pastor’s wife said: “The responsibility for another person’s salvation is between God and them. Our responsibility is to love them, which you did.”

Sorry, evangelical friends, if I may have offended you.

All this offended me once, until I realised that people don’t care what we know until they know we care.

I look at The Door, Marah, Ebenezer, Street pastors and more.

Sorry for not mentioning other organisations, this column has only so much space.

Not everyone knows that these are Christian initiatives.

Crucially they have love at their source.