Start Yer Eatin’

Good illustrations or demonstrations can be very effective in making the gospel plain. Our Lord used them all the time. But you better be sure of your facts before you use one in public. John MacArthur tells one of a woman who lived back in the hills. One day, to her surprise, a vacuum cleaner salesman showed up at her door. He asked if he could demonstrate the efficient machine. She nodded her approval. Taking a coal shovel full of ash from the fireplace, he dumped it on her rug, then added some dirt from a bag. “Madam,” he said, “I want you to watch this product at work. If it doesn’t suck up every bit of this, I’ll eat it with a spoon.” The woman looked the hopeful young salesman in the eye, and then responded with a slow drawl, “Well, sir, start yer eatin’. We ain’t got no ’lectricity.” Once in Japan, I used a great illustration regarding endorsing a check, then discovered afterward that people there use cash or credit cards, not checks. Illustrations only help if they make sense to your hearers!

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