Have you ever encountered someone that professed to have the same interest, common goal, or belief system that you had but they were really, REALLY bad at showing it? Didn't it just make you cringe when they tried to associate with you, to show your commonality, but did so in a way the absolutely alienated everyone around them...and you?
Imagine how Jesus felt...
I mean, here He is...Messiah, God-man, Savior of the world...on earth in the flesh to teach all with ears everything about Himself...yet the people who professed to know the "truth" denied THE Truth by their actions. The religious folk in Christ's day turned many away from the very thing that they needed most...the forgiveness, the healing, and the love of God. And they did so in the name of tradition and religion. All through the gospels we can read about how Jesus often wondered how much longer He would have to endure the religious leaders' ignorance.
Not much has changed though, has it?
Even today there are people all over the world that chase others away from Christ because of their actions...because they are more caught up in religious traditions than they are in having a relationship with the Maker of the universe.
How about you? Are you living out your relationship with God on a daily basis in such a way that people see the love of Christ in your actions? Are you striving to live out Jesus' Great Commandment in your life in order for Jesus to draw people to Himself? Or are you more interested in what translation of the bible others are reading...what denomination is superior...what traditions are being followed?
Back when I was in the military we had a saying. "Lead, follow, or get out of the way!" It is a saying that is applicable in every Christ follower's life as well...lead with the Holy Spirit as your guide, follow Christ in a way that others desire to follow Him as well, or get the heck out of God's way...stop, just stop, with all of the religious posing and let God be God. The latter being most important because the longer we stand in God's way, impeding His will with our own agendas and traditions, the longer it will be for His word to reach every mind, every heart, and every soul.
Let's start a "tradition" of simply doing what God leads us to do and let Him do the rest...how's that sound?
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2 comments:
I couldn't agree more. The time I spent at Office Max in Oburg was incredably challenging because I got the wonderful priveledge of seeing all of the "Christians" come through the door and rheam everyone out because "the sale ended yesterday and they couldn't make it in and now they must pay $2.00 more. Although this mentality literally sickens me (that's one of the reasons I am no longer there), God has taught me that the vast majority of people are not mature because they haven't had a teacher capable of teaching them how to be. In our society we have children raising children and addictions that leave people dependant on the flesh which stagnates their development. Don't forget that we are obligated to slow down long enough (pay attention to the small numbers) to help those people also.
Average Joe
I myself recently have been pondering a small piece of this subject. Coming from a childhood where I was passed to whomever could raise me at the moment and none of them being regular followers of Christ, not so much as ever attending church and then in the middle of going about my life as usual God made himself known to me and put me to where he could use me.Out of nowhere he said I AM HERE! I have seen some great workings of God before I ever read the rules or one chapter in the book. I often wonder about the Religion and rules that so many are stuck on. I have seen God outside the box. You have to be ready because he does some amazing things and you have to expect some awesome things.But,you have to realize He does things even bigger than we can imagine, If you think about it we all believe were the only ones right, right?But, If you stop directing people the way you think it has to go, God can do what he wanted.
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