Hey lads and lasses!
Think about the monuments of the world, the man made wonders. The Pyramids, Great Wall of China, Eiffel Tower, Leaning Tower or Pisa, Taj Mahal, Angkor Wat, the David Sculpture, or Mount Rushmore for example. All phenomenal, all intriguing, all awe inspiring. We take time to verbalized how amazing and beautiful each one is, how unique and creative. AND we also always talk about the construction workers, the engineers and architects that built it. The original creators. We talk about how imaginative and talented they must have been to do something so beautiful, intricate…and often big. In short these people are EXTRAORDINARY, worth remembering, worth talking about.
Have you ever wondered why we don’t see monuments, statues or idols in Christianity? There is the obvious answer that God tells us in the 10 commandments to have no other idols besides God. But I think there’s different reasons, specifically for why we don’t have a use for monuments.
Sure, we have symbols, like the Cross, the Jesus Fish, the Nativity Scene and Mother Mary. But monuments? We often get tattoos or necklaces with these symbols, maybe even hang pictures or displays up in our church. But unlike other religions, these things don’t give the most glory to God, they are not created to. They are not the beautiful monument we’re supposed to be in awe of. We can live our Christian lives with or without them.
Other religions are not this way. On our World Race journey, we spent six months in South Asia, where Buddhism and Hinduism are the dominant religions. There are temples, statues, shrines and monks EVERYWHERE. They are kinda cool to look at, but really they have no power, although they ARE supposed to in these religions. People worship these monuments, admire these representatives of more gods than they can count. (Literally, even the monks can’t name all the gods, I asked.)
This isn’t really a blog about other religions, they truly are dead, no point in wasting time speaking about them, they are more like “Religion-as-a-Hobby” religions anyways. At least for 90% of the members.
I want to talk about us, and about monuments.
One day I was finishing up reading through the Psalms and at the same time reading through 2 Corinthians. Not so coincidentally, God gave me Psalm 148 and 2 Corinthians 6, which as we will see, line up real well :).
Psalm 148:13 says, “Let them praise the Name of God! It’s the only name worth praising. His radiance exceeds anything in Earth and sky, he’s built a monument – his very own people!”
God’s plan was never a statue or symbol. As cool and clever as those can be, God himself is way more amazing, He shows this awesomeness through his people, THEY are his monument, individually and as one body, set up to make HIM famous.
So God’s plan to Glorify himself is and always has been us.
Thankfully there is no pressure, the plan didn’t revolve around us being beautiful or perfect, it rests on Jesus and what he has done. But that also is another blog for another time.
The plan does INCLUDE us. But how?
The simple answer is by being who we are made to be through Jesus Christ.
People watch us everyday, it is in the details of what we do, that often make God famous. This is why it is so important NOT to be lukewarm. We want the gospel to be ATTRACTIVE, because Jesus’s abundant life IS attractive. JESUS is attractive. Being lukewarm is miserable, for us and for God. It is just religion, not really any different than our Hindu an Buddhist friends. No one wants to be a lukewarm Christian, we just become that by doing Christian things without actually diving into Jesus. Lose-Lose situation. It’s NOT attractive, abundant life giving OR God glorifying.
When we follow God we are a monument to him. Our CHANGED LIVES are his monument. Our overflowing LIFE is the monument. He lives in us, now we represent him, are ambassadors for him. The world knows what he is like by who we are and how we live. We are NOT to be worshipped, but to reflect, as if a mirror, people to God.
2 Corinthians 6: 4-10 agrees that we are monuments being watched in every situation. “Our work is validated – or not – in the details. People are watching is as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly…in hard times, tough times, bad times; when we’re beaten up, jailed, and mobbed; working hard, working late, working without eating; with a pure heart, clear head, steady hand; in gentleness, holiness and honest love; when telling the truth, and when God’s showing his power; when we’re doing our best setting things right; when we’re praised, and when we’re blamed; slandered, an honored; true to our word, though distrusted; ignored by the world, but recognized by God; terrifically alive, though rumored to be dead; beaten within an inch of our lives, but refusing to die; immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy; living on handouts, yet enriching many; having nothing, having all.”
My friend Phil showed me what a monument of God was like simply by being who God created him to be. We were at a charity bar event, raising money for Dance Marathon. Our friend Kara served us our drinks. It was nearing the end of “no-shave-November” and the ladies had been participating in “no-make-up-November”. Most girls had already bailed, but Kara stuck it out. Phil went out of his way to tell Kara how beautiful she looked. It caught all of us off guard, but none more than Kara. Her face lit up, fully aware that she wasn’t wearing make-up, yet completely flattered that some one would still tell her how beautiful she was. A brother at that, in front of four other guys. She felt beautiful, she looked beautiful. Phil’s comment opened our eyes to exactly how pretty Kara was, and how a real man of God treats women. God was made famous, our standard of a Man of God was raised, and Kara felt special. Plus, plus and plus. 🙂
When people see us in such situations they should ask, “What is it with her?”, “Why does he respond like he does, it doesn’t make sense?”, “They’re different, I don’t know what it is, or if I want it, but I like it, I want to know more.”
Our lifestyle and actions evoke questions that open up huge doors to knowing the truth about God better.
As a Monument, I don’t want people to look at me for my looks or talents, I’d rather them say, “He’s so different, whacky, quirky, and joyful…he must have a sweet creator.”
Be monumental,
Jakers
