How to Make People Mad
by R.C. Sproul Jr.

One of the fundamental laws of economics is the law of comparative advantage. I believe it was Adam Smith who came up with the notion that nations and individuals ought to produce that for which they have the most comparative advantage. That's a rather fancy way of saying that if you are good at something, that's what you should do. I, for instance, ought not to be trying to make it in the NBA. The citizens of the Sudan should not try to build their economy around tourists who prefer to snow ski. It's not such a profound or complex economic law, but then I guess economists have a comparative advantage in belaboring the obvious.

I seem to have the spiritual gift for rousing anger in others. Though such may not be your greatest strength, nevertheless, here I am trying to teach you how to do it. You never know but that you might not discover a new spiritual gift. Keep reading—the worst thing that could happen is I could make you mad.

Step one—have convictions. Everybody loves a fence sitter. Nobody likes it when you not only believe what you believe, not only believe that what you believe is objectively true, but believe that what contradicts what you believe is objectively false. In affirming the objective truth of your own convictions, and the objective falsehood of others' non-convictions, you break the rules. Haven't we all agreed that we can all be right, and no one can be wrong? Well, not if you're not interested in playing by their rules.

Step two—speak your convictions with conviction. No one really cares what goes on within the privacy of your own mind. There your convictions, even if you believe them to be objective, stay subjective. I don't have to cross swords with you if you keep your sword sheathed. When, however, you speak your convictions with conviction you put others in a double bind. First, because they have claimed to believe there is no truth to be known, they haven't worked that hard in coming up with their own subjective conclusions. Therefore they know that, when you draw your sword, they're going to have to expose their rusty little pen knife for all the world to see. Worse still, you will show them to be cowards. Not only is their sword rusty, so is the sheath. Their only conviction about their convictions is that they don't like being made to look like a coward.

Step three—Try to convict others with your convictions. It is one thing to believe strongly. It is another to speak strongly, saying, "I believe x to be objectively true, and you cannot change my mind." It is another thing all together to say, "I believe x to be objectively true, and you must believe so too." This is particularly troublesome in the church. Because faith is, you know, a private and personal thing, shouldn't we be able to have our own conclusions? "God hasn't yelled at me for believing He doesn't know the future- why should you?"

Step four—Try to change people's lives. It's one thing to tell people they have to change what they believe. What really gets their blood boiling is telling them they will have to change their habits. We are all reasonably comfortable with our lives, with how things are—that's why we arranged for them to be that way.

Step five—Get personal. It's one thing to tell someone they can't use Brand X of toothpaste anymore. It's another thing to tell them they shouldn't try to thwart God's sovereignty in the bedroom. It's one thing to tell them they ought to change their oil every three thousand miles. It's another thing to tell them that they need to start teaching their children themselves. It's one thing to tell them reading in the dark is bad for their eyes. It's another thing to tell them that singing insipid praise choruses is bad for their souls.

Step six—Get a thick skin. Not only do people get mad, but they will express that anger by yelling at you. They will call you all kinds of names, meanly saying you are mean. If such stops you, they have won, and you will no longer make them mad. But we need to be in this thing for the long haul. And so we need to be able to take it when they fight back with name-calling. There is only one key to this one. You must believe God. First you must believe Him when He says His truth is objective. Then you must believe Him when He calls us to confront the world, and encourage one another in righteousness. Then you must believe Him when He calls us to fear Him and no other.

Then you must believe His promises. It was Jesus who said, "Blessed are you when men persecute you for My name's sake." If Jesus says you are blessed, then you are blessed, even if all the world is saying, "I can't stand that guy—he makes me mad." (Of course all this assumes that our convictions are His convictions. You get no points for making people mad for any other name's sake.)

If all this seems unappealing to you, I understand. I really do. But this brings us back to step five—getting personal. The importance of making people mad just may be one of those things that you need to change in your life. A refusal to make people mad is simply a refusal to take up your cross. It is to say to Jesus that the servant is greater than the Master. And contradicting Jesus is neither right nor safe. Making people mad? You can do no other. So help you God.

If, on the other hand, you can master these steps, you are well on your way. You will be a prophet who has shed your skirt, and donned a kilt. Then you will be a warrior for the kingdom, one of David's mighty men.