I am currently in Malaysia, which can only mean that I am in my 6th month of the world race. That is a strange thought. We just had our second official debrief at the end of last month in Hua Hin, Thailand. It was just what our squad needed. Although we sure did miss Lauren, Abby, and Tim this time; (Thanks for the video of you guys) Michael Hindes and his wife, Mama C and Pappy, Jimmy, and Shaun all showed up to pour into us. We were told we needed to speak up and speak out, and about how
“Maybe what the world needs is a few more drunk Christians”.
Yes, you did read that right.
Any guesses as to what Michael might have meant by that?
Any one?
No?
Alright then let me take you to Acts 2.
"When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” (1-13)
People watching thought they were drunk, but Peter told them what was happening and 3,000 people were added to their number! So what if the point is for you to be bold, speak up, speak out, and look foolish? These people did and look at how many believers were added to the kingdom. Become undignified for the Lord. King David did in 2 Samuel 6 when he danced like crazy. When he was approached and scolded for doing so we replied with “I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.” (6:22). Galations 1:10 says, “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not me a servant of Christ.” Be undignified and don’t worry what people think. Sometimes the point is to look foolish and so what if people think you are drunk.
This is something I struggle with everyday. I don’t want to offend people or look foolish. I tell myself that it’s okay to look foolish, but at the last minute I almost always back down too afraid to speak up and speak out. This I realize is a form of pleasing men and I don’t want to do that any longer. I am a servant of God and I shouldn’t care about what people think of me. I want uninhibited spontaneity. People caught up in the ways of the world who know they need to rid themselves of their inhibitions turn to alcohol to help them do so, but I want to be drunk off the Lord. I want to act like King David did. I want to act like the people in Act 2 because maybe this is how people will see Christ in me. And maybe 10,000 people will be added to the kingdom, or maybe just 1, but what a shout of victory will be heard in Heaven for that one person.So maybe a few more "drunk" christians is exactly what the world needs.
