“among”
The statistics are discouraging. The average person, after having become a follower of Christ, has within two years almost no remaining friendships outside of the church.
We tend to congregate together and then stick together. Of course there is much good in this but it prevents us from being “among”, from being “salt and light”
Christ followers are sent, each and every one of us. We are “sent” to some place in the world where we are supposed to influence lives for God in Christ.
“We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too”
This is not easy to do. It’s much easier to write a check than to share my life.
Our family has sponsored a Compassion child for well over 20 years and the most difficult part of the sponsorship is writing him letters which information about our family and life. The check matters immensely, but our lives matter too. It is in the day to day of one’s life with God that Christ incarnated is experienced.
It’s struggle but it’s a primary struggle, one which we must not cease engaging.
Are you among others who are far from God? Do you share your life with any of them?
How about the primary struggle on being "among" those who are hard to love or those who hate us even?
ReplyDeleteThose in our own family, our church, our neighborhoods, our company who are hard to love, even.
But first pray Psalm 139: 23-24 and respond to what the Lord shows. Then congregate together, stick together (lean on each other) for the spiritual support required in the struggle depicted in Matthew 5:46.
I have opened my home to many who are not from the church. I have loved them, tried to guide them and then I have been beaten, cursed, and told that they did not need my prayers or my God. These people I have had to stay away from,I have a broken heart because I still love them so much...but it will not keep me from trying to help this lost, dark and hurting world.
ReplyDeleteWow, this really hits home. I would have no problem with standing in front of my church family and speaking for an hour but a simple holiday prayer at a family gathering is very hard.
ReplyDeleteLord give me the strength to be the "salt and light" to the people who need You.