Day 37: Sharing Your Life Message

"Thoughts from the evening service" to come soon. Very challenging stuff, and I want to reflect on it, but I want to be undistracted when I do.

I love spending time with people, and doing things like accompanying, but I am still an introvert at heart, and I need some alone time. I haven't had a lot of that in the past couple weeks (pretty much whenever I've had a chance to blog has been my only time for thinking/reflection/not doing much, and that's only been a couple hours at most each day). I get next Monday off, and I don't think I have activities planned for this weekend (I have a Friday night "gig" at my church (Ginny, the organist, and I are going to play a short duet at the church Valentine's dinner. . .should be a blast!), but nothing pops into my head for Saturday or Sunday, at least). I need some time to just chill, sit around, watch a movie, play Wii, just do something that doesn't involve a lot of mental or emotional work. Even cooking Saturday evening was a nice "getaway", but I started the process later than I had intended and it took me into the far reaches of the night (well, for a teacher- 11 PM).

But even when things feel impossible, if we take that step of faith, God gives us the strength.

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God may speak to us through the Bible, but He also speaks to the world through us as believers. Our "Life Message" has four parts. First is our testimony. Most of the time this is our "salvation story," but it is not limited to that. We should be able to describe what life was like before Jesus, how we realized we needed Him, how we committed to Him, and the difference it has made. For me, those first two points are not nearly as interesting as the second two. I came to know Christ at a young age, and I am so thankful for that, because it colored everything that happened in my life (I guess that would be the Holy Spirit).
Also, it's important to remember that witnessing is not arguing a point; it is simply reporting what has happened to us, and letting the listener decide about the veracity of our statements. God will be the attorney (and the judge, and the jury); we are just witnesses.

Second is the life lessons we've learned. What is most of the Bible except for a bunch of lives and the lessons that we should learn from them? Of course, not every single situation is covered in detail in the Bible, and with changing times and cultures, some things seem abstract to us. We as Christians have fresh, relevant life lessons that we can share with non-believers who are experiencing the same thing right at that moment. What an opportunity to be used by God! From failure to depression to pride to family issues to illness, every Christian has different and unique life experiences, and it's likely that someone else they know may be going through that. Once again, I must ask: how can we hide our problems, even if they are unresolved, if we know THE solution?

Third is sharing our Godly passions. Whether it's passion for a people, a problem, a purpose, or a principle, God uses passionate people to do His work. And, since we can't be passionate about everything, He needs each of us to purse the thing(s) we are passionate about. This may seem strange, but I am passionate about college age students (especially those just entering). But. . . I just graduated. . . . . . yeah, I know, and that's why I care; I wish there had been someone who would have intervened more directly in my life during college, because with great freedom comes important decision making opportunities (or maybe "With great power comes great responsibility"?). I had Christian friends and "Christian" friends and non-believer friends, but ultimately I had very little true fellowship. Fusion was a Godsend, but even with that, I wasn't able to commit, and I still didn't "get it" quite yet. God finally hit me over the head, moved me halfway across the country, and said "STOP SEEKING AFTER THE WORLD AND FOLLOW ME." So I did. But He didn't say that directly; it has been a process. If someone would have shown me that a few years ago, how different life would have been! But on the other side, it wasn't God's plan. Who's to say that I couldn't be a mentor though? I really like the idea of someone specifically watching out for my well-being, and I also like to play the role of mentor. I think that's also part of the reason I love teaching. Especially being a music teacher, I get to develop relationships with students that many other teachers don't, and I can have a significant impact on their lives (which is both exciting and scary).

Finally, the last (and seemingly obvious) part is the Good News. We shouldn't just be saying that we are changed; we have to explain why. The story is incredible, and the love unfathomable: that God, the Creator of the universe and all that is in it, from the stars to the ocean, from animals to the smallest of plants, sent His Son in human form so that He could die for OUR sins. He did absolutely NOTHING wrong in His life, and yet He paid the ultimate price because of our imperfections and desire for power (because essentially, every sin has to do with us gaining power of some kind- think about it). But, because He was perfect, He did not just die, but rose again, and asks us to follow Him! How can anyone say no to that offer? How can anyone say, "Thanks for giving me life, Lord, I'm going to go do what I feel like, and maybe someday I'll think about what you've done for me. Maybe." I do not deserve to go to Heaven. I do not deserve to be able to talk to God, and I definitely don't deserve the wholly unconditional love I receive. I mess up a lot, and I will never be perfect. I do not have the ability to make my own way to Heaven. But I don't have to! Jesus paid my way, and I have accepted it. Only He is worthy of praise! I don't understand it, and I am overwhelmed by trying to understand it. But I know that He is the only thing I need in my life, and I will chase Him with everything I have (even when things are tough. . . I'm still working on getting it right, and I feel like that's going to be a lifelong pursuit).

I serve a risen Savior, and there is no greater thing in my life than that.

Point to Ponder: God wants to say something to the world through me.
Once again, it's ultimately not about us. We just get to be vessels. We actually have a use! (more than one, in fact)

Verse to Remember: 1 Peter 3:15b-16 - "Be ready at all times to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you, but do it with gentleness and respect." Today's English Version
Two important things: we are supposed to answer and defend our beliefs, BUT we need to be gentle and respectful. There are too many people out there getting into the face of non-believers, telling them that they are wrong about life and therefor are going to "burn in Hell." Instead of badgering people, why don't you offer your story to everyone passing? Wear a sandwich board that says "I am not perfect, but Jesus is." Then pass out a pamphlet of your personal testimony. Or yell it through a loudspeaker, if that's your thing. But please stop harrassing non-believers; it just makes our mission tougher.

Question to Consider: As I reflect on my personal story, who does God wnat me to share it with?
I can think of a couple specific people that I have been talking with in the past few months. . . and I have to realize that I still may not have "the answer" but I certainly have "The Answer." And that's what matters way more than anything else I can share.