Question: Hello, my friends want to smoke weed in our dorm room. What do I do? Kick them out?
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Answer: Thank you for sharing my friend. This is a great opportunity for a gospel encounter. I grew up in the drug culture as well so when you share I think of the time I worked in the surf industry as a media director. Tons of weed, parties, sex, drugs, and debauchery. And I was doing that job to pay for seminary!
But I held my ground, remained in the community (while not judging anyone) and being a light in so much darkness. I had many opportunities to talk to people on a very deep level when they sobered up.
Here's my conjecture on the issue. I can't imagine Jesus telling anybody to get away from him. I always see him drawing near. That being said, the other day I was holding my baby on my porch and I smelled someone smoking weed on the sidewalk. A little irritated, I thought, "how inconsiderate." But in my spirit, I felt it was a good gospel encounter opportunity so I said, "hey. That sure smells good!" He replied, "you wanna hit?" I thought that was hilarious. Druggies are sometimes more generous than Christians!
The point is, I could have yelled at him and told him to get some common sense. But I didn't and I know next time I see him, I would be able to strike up a conversation knowing he's a friendly dude just trying to get high.
What are people really doing when they get high? I think they're searching for God! I think every instance of trying to get high is an attempt to find true joy or happiness. Most of the world just doesn't know all of those temporary highs are temporary. They don't know about the living water that they can drink and never thirst again. They don't know the kind of high that Jesus provides!
All that to say, I'd pray about the gospel encounters that you may have with your non-Christian friends. Show them that you have no judgment or condemnation for them. And show them a ridiculous amount of love and interest in them. Ask them how the first time they ever got high. Search for the root of their search for happiness. Ther is a story there to be uncovered. Just be ready for someone to break down and admit that they've been searching their whole life for answers, but nobody ever cared to ask them or give them attention.
This is the missional-incarnational approach to witnessing. Totally non-condemning and full on loving those God has placed in our lives. Hold your ground and love the heck out of them!
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