- Genesis 23:2
In some ways, this verse is a beam of light shining on one of the things that unites all of us as humans. In a time of such great division across our culture and our Nation, there are still so many things that can bridge the gap between our differences, and grief is one of those things. In life, we all know, or soon come to know personally, the weight and the substance of death and the experience of grief. And, when we see someone who is grieving it changes how we relate to or interact with them. Why? Because we, I believe, instinctively and intuitively "get it."
I wonder what might happen if across all ideologies, theologies, philosophies, faith backgrounds, religious creeds, dogmas, world views, and all manor of theoretical hypotheticals, we could just personally center ourselves on something the Bible tells us Jesus said: "Therefore, however you want people to treat you, so treat them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 7:12.
And, what if those of us who are followers of Jesus, became personally determined, every day, and in every way, to do our BEST to be "Jesus with skin on" to everyone we encounter... for such a time as this? I wonder what might just happen, if in the midst of all the division of our time, Jesus "followers" just started acting more like Jesus?
It was in the ancient city of Antioch where Jesus followers were first called "Christians" (Acts 11:26). And, they were called that because the people in the city couldn’t get their heads wrapped around the radical lifestyle these "Jesus people" were living as they lived out, to the best of their ability, what it meant to follow the teachings of Jesus. The term "Christian" that the people of Antioch tagged them with was one that literally meant "little messiahs" or "little Christs."
The world today seems to hate "Christians..." but I wonder what might happen if we returned to the origins of our identity? What might happen if today we just radically followed Jesus, walked by the Spirit, loved people, lived out our purpose and laid down our lives as we served a divided, deluded and confused world? What might happen if we ministered to people today in the midst of the things that unite us as humans, loved people where they were, and demonstrated Christlikeness, to the best of our ability, in and through every action and interaction?
I’ve said it a million times as I’ve preached... "the Gospel is transformational!" But, what if we became intent on relationally introducing people to the Gospel by demonstrating the transformation that has taken place in us through our own personal relationship with Jesus? What if people wanted Jesus in their lives not because of how loudly we shouted at them that they needed Jesus, but because the Jesus, and the transformation He has brought about in us, was so beautiful, so remarkable, so obviously real, they just had to have it? Call me crazy, but it just might be something like this would turn this world upside down...
Help me, Lord, to submit to You and Your lead fully, and in such a transformational way that people want You because of the You they see in me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
#50DayGenesisChallenge
#50DayGenesisChallengeDay23
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