Hey Y'all!
Sorry it has been so long sense I posted. It has been a little crazy around these parts. I started back into the fall semester. Going to school 4 nights a week after I get off from working a 8 hour job. Needless to say, I am one tired girl! It will be worth it though.
Wanted to write cause I have had some things on my mind lately. I thought hey.. what better place to get all those thoughts out but on your blog? Why didn't I think of this sooner? :/
I was thinking about being a Christ follower and what that means in the way we act day in and day out. Walking around in our daily lives. I hear so many people talk about world missions and going on mission trips. Which don't get me wrong, I am ALL FOR THAT!!!
However, What about our day to day? What about the way we treat the lady at Target who checks us out? What about the way we treat our co-worker even the ones "below our status at work"? What about the way we treat people when we are driving? ( big time guilty of this) The way we treat the person who is serving us a meal? I think you get my point. The people we don't HAVE to impress. The people who are not keeping up with our " spiritual card".
The thing is when Jesus told us in Matthew to 28 19" Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,..." What do the " nations" mean? I mean I know it means the world. I get that but, I think Jesus was also talking about the people I named before. All the people who don't keep up with our actions as a Christ follower. The ones who day in and day out may not even know what a real Christ follower is or what that looks like. It is so easy for us to take a week vacation and go on a mission trip in the United States or if we are really able , jumping across the pond. But, does that really get to the point if we take that week trip once a year but fail to show true love to the cashier at target? Or the cleaning lady at work? I think those people fall just in line with the " nations" as China, India or El Salvador. The point is to show Christ to the world.
I will be honest. I have times where I think I know the God I serve then I interact with the " Church world" and don't recognize that same God. The God of Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. ( Gal 5) I am not saying I act that way every second of every day. I know we all have good and bad days. However, I am finding more and more that people only act that way to the people they want thinking of them as " Christ Like." It is so in our comfort zone really to be seeker friendly to the poor and lost during our week of missions. It is hard on those days we wake up late, gotten bad news or just flat our don't feel good. However, Christ calls us to see those that are lost and show them who he is. I would think one of the best ways to do that would be showing people Christ in those times when it is not easy. Praying Daily for the Holy Spirit to give us power to show his love even when it is not convenient or when people are not looking. To the stories that we won't be to re-tell in small group for everyone to say wow, what ministry.
Maybe it is just the smile or compliment to someone. Maybe it is the "You know Jesus cares for you and I do too" to that stranger or co-worker who is below you in the ladder of success. Maybe it is the sitting or going to lunch with someone at work who is in a different stage of life and career to really get to know them and their heart. Even if they are a believer to have fellowship and build each other up.
I feel like as a Christ follower there are so many ways to reach people for Christ and we are just not seeing it because we are waiting and looking for those "Week long trip" moments or moments we can share this awesome story. We forget that people are seeking all around us. I have seen so many pastors, preachers, deacons, people in ministry try so hard to save the world and forget about the person on the back of the pew who just needs a friend. Who just got that word they lost their job or Husband or wife left. The Lady or man who just got bad health news who just needs to know she is not alone. So many in this country are not in "small groups" or involved in church. Why? I personally think because we are to busy reaching the World we forget about our backyard.We forget about the people who don't tithe much or have as much to offer as far as status or ministry goes. Please understand, I am all for world missions and believe we are all to play a part. However, not at the expense of the ones in our town, neighborhood or work.
Trying to apply this to my own life as God has been pressing my heart on the subject a lot lately. I want to find a church home that has this goal. That seeks to serve the " least of these" in our own community.
