A couple of weeks ago I was walking across the Sac State campus when I heard someone yelling.  The person sounded  angry and so I assumed that there was some sort of argument or fight taking place.  Unfortunately, as I got closer I realized that it wasn’t a fight, but a man was yelling at the top of his lungs about God.   Specifically, he was trying to tell…I mean yell at people about God.  Although my immediate thought was about how ineffective this type of communication usually is, I moved in for a closer look.  That’s when I saw it.  He was holding a big sign that read, “YOU DESERVE HELL”.   I forced myself to stand and watch for a minute.  Giving the guy the benefit of the doubt, I assumed his intentions were good.   The longer I stood and watched, the more sad and angry I became.    It’s not that the message of his sign was inaccurate. The truth is that the Scriptures teach us that we all deserve what could be described as hell.  I just couldn’t believe that he had taken the most amazing message on the planet and made it…well, not so attractive.  I wanted to stand up next to him and begin yelling the message of love and hope – that Jesus didn’t come into the world to condemn anyone, but that through him they could be reconnected to the one who created them and passionately loves them.  It made me angry to think that when my friends and other students on campus hear that I’m a Christian, that guy will be what pops into their head.  As far as they know, angry-sign holding-yelling guy is me.  What’s worse is that when they hear of the God of the Scriptures, images of an angry and vindictive man will come to mind.  Not exactly someone you want to turn to in a time of trouble for help and refuge.  The Scriptures tell us that it’s the kindness of God that leads us to repentance.  Maybe this guy missed that part.  So, angry-sign holding-yelling-finger wagging guy, if you read this, next time try making a sign that says, “I DESERVE HELL” and stop yelling at people.  Engage them in a conversation about the love and kindness of God that you’ve experienced and that He is desperately pursuing them with.  That’s a message worth putting on a sign.