I like my way of doing something better

LOGOI
Jul 3
3 min read

The above quote (or close variation) was a response the great 19th-century evangelist, D.L. Moody, gave to a critic who disliked his methods of evangelism. The story goes that the person complained about his evangelistic approach so Moody asked, “How do you do it?” When the person answered, “I don’t,” he essentially replied, “I like my way of doing it better than your way of not doing it.”

I first heard that quote by one of my Wheaton College roommates named Marty. He was going to a downtown Chicago soup kitchen to preach and asked me to join him. “I’ll be like Billy Graham and preach and you be like Bev Shea and sing” he said with a big grin. I moaned complaining about the 5am departure time to get there for his 8am time slot.

“Bev Shea doesn’t sing at 8am…” I sarcastically replied. “Besides,” I heard myself saying in one of my poorer moments, “all they really want in those places is to get something to eat; not listen to a preacher or singer.” Marty’s grin quickly turned somber. He looked at me, paused, then quietly said, “I like my way of doing something better than your way of doing nothing.”

The next thing I knew, I was on a train heading to Chicago at 5am sitting next to a grinning Marty. We went twice a month for a college semester and every time we went, I watched in amazement as desperate men and women heard the gospel and believed in Jesus.

What a lesson from Marty (and D.L. Moody). I’ve never forgotten that quote which applies to much of life. James 2:17 says, “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” It is reported that D.L. Moody wrote a version of his quote in the margins of his Bible next to Isaiah 6:8, “Here I am! Send me.”

I think of this quote and Bible verses when I think of your prayers and donations to help proclaim the Gospel here at LOGOI. We are far from being a perfect mission organization, but we are most definitely “doing something.”

Every day pastors and teaching leaders come to LOGOI to study God’s Word, to prepare their messages, and to become better equipped to proclaim the Gospel. Last month, for example, over 3,000 pastors/leaders from Mexico logged onto our Spanish Bible resource center. Over 1,600 from Venezuela and over 1,500 from Colombia. The list goes on and on covering some 57 countries.

Together, we are “doing something” even though it often feels small and insignificant. “Do not despise these small beginnings,” Zechariah 4:10 tells us, “for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin…” And we will never forget what Jesus did with a few loaves of bread and some fish (see John 6).

We were reminded of how God works in these “small things” this past week. My mom is undergoing some medical procedures and in the course of a conversation with a physical therapist, decided to give him the book she wrote, “An Unexpected Love Story.” The next day she was handed this note:

“Carolyn, I’m the therapist you gifted a book to. I want you to know I believe God sent you to deliver a message to me. I have been praying for weeks for a sign/guidance and when I got home, the words on the cover of your book gave me my sign. God bless you. I am grateful to have met you…”

So thank you for your faithful prayers and donations to LOGOI. We are especially grateful in these lean summer months. We always thank the Lord for you. And by the way, the next time you wonder if your “little” prayers or gifts or faith in action are doing any good, remember “your way of doing something is a lot better than doing nothing.” Then, let God deal with the results as He loves to do in miraculous ways.

Forever!