I read on Jacquie's blog today that Tierce Green preached a sermon that reminded her of this: Jesus wants us to be a light in this world, not a light in a warehouse somewhere waiting to go to Heaven someday. Do you not just love that?
This follows right along with my thoughts I posted here about mission. Jesus was not a passive man. He certainly took time apart to pray and fast and to seek direction from his father, but most of his time was spent with people, talking or feeding or healing or telling stories or even raising them from the dead. He was constantly on the move from one place to another, trying to get the message to all that He could. As much as He taught He also healed and ministered to his flock. Somewhere in the things He did are things for each one of us to do.
Maybe it's in the feeding - cooking a meal or two or twenty, washing the dishes or sweeping the floor after others have been fed, buying the food or delivering it to the kitchen. Maybe it's in the healing...body, mind and spirit. Hospitals and nursing homes and in-home care need lots of workers, paid and unpaid. Shut-ins need visits. Those who are sick need visits and errands run and grass mowed and prescriptions picked up. Maybe it's in the ministering to others - listening to stories of childhood (that we all need to share with someone as we get older!) or of old hurts or of hopes and dreams. Calling on those who are housebound or lonely or isolated just to say someone cares, teaching Sunday School or leading a youth group are needs everywhere. Or maybe it's just leading a life that provides a Christian role model for friends and family and neighbors - attending church regularly, reading and studying the Bible, helping out others where possible.
The important thing is to be doing...be active...be heading in the right direction. Jesus wasn't passive; neither should we be. Being a Christian isn't a stopping place; it's a starting place.
To be a light in this world you have to be turned on and being turned on is a conscious decision each one of us has to make. Where is your switch...off? on? somewhere in between?
8 comments:
Thank you for these comments!
I needed to read these specific action opportunities...I have been struggling with how to make my Christianity more "engaged" and how to encourage others (especially those in my ladies' class) to do the same. So often in churches what we do or focus on is not as outward reaching as it needs to be.
Thank you.
Oh I love this! Thank you. I have been sick for a few days even while out of town. When I came home I just feel lost because I can't "do". I have always felt that my ministry is in my home. I love being the keeper of my home. I want to do more and this has encouraged me so much. Thank you.
Wonderful reminder that sometimes just reaching out to touch and acknowledge another person is a blessing.
Thank you.
Loved what you wrote here...
The important thing is to be doing...be active...be heading in the right direction. Jesus wasn't passive; neither should we be. Being a Christian isn't a stopping place; it's a starting place.
To be a light in this world you have to be turned on and being turned on is a conscious decision each one of us has to make.
Thanks for the encouragement!
Wonderfully written! Thanks for a gentle nudge in the right direction
Thank you for confronting me in a Christlike direction.
I've been very convicted about "doing" more and treating people kinder on a more intentional level. If everyone would seek to "do" what would please God, this world would be turned upside down!
so fun to read about Tierce Green! I have many, many memories (and photos somewhere) of him from church camp and revivals at my church. His "Glow in the Dark' song is now on repeat in my head. :-) thanks for the blast from the past.
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