You can pay me now or pay me later.

Acts 2

 ²⁸ Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”

 ²⁹ Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”

This Fram Oil Filter commercial is a classic. Sludge builds up in the hearts of those who don't know Christ. That sludge can do damage to the heart. It takes patience to clean the heart, rebuild some parts, and replace others. Sometimes the damage is overwhelming and time is the only thing that will help. Don't give up. You can't just use one approach. You can't just think that changing the oil will cure the problem. Sin causes a lot of damage. It takes time to clear that damage and heal the heart. Lives need rebuilt and old destructive habits need replaced. That's why the believer should never give up on anyone. Sometimes it just takes time. Never give up!

The real problem, though, is not giving up. Most of the time, the real problem is getting started. We need to get off the couch and SHARE the gospel. Sure many will not accept it immediately. Some will out-right reject it, at first. The sin in their lives is like the sludge in an engine. It does serious damage and can take time to thoroughly clean. 

Building a relationship with non-believers is the best place to begin the change. We can share the gospel with our actions, not just our words. We also need to be in constant prayer for those we encounter. We need to pray for opportunities to share. We need to pray for the heart to be open to the message of the gospel. Then we just need time and patience to wait for the Lord to work. We can't fix things like a 60 second commercial. Everyone will face Christ for the final judgement. If we choose Christ now, the bill has been paid for by Christ. If we choose to wait, we might not get the chance. Engine failure will be eminent without Christ.