There are a lot of things I’ve learned about myself, God, the church, and everything in between in these past 6 months. It was while reading “Love Does” and “Everybody Always” by Bob Goff that it hit me.
Why am I labeling what I’m doing with my life? Why is everything I do throughout the day called “ministry”? Why am I being applauded for being kind and treating people as people?
This is life. This is what we’re supposed to do. As believers in Jesus, it’s not supposed to be about us and how good we look because we decided to think about somebody else for a change. It’s supposed to be our lives. That’s literally our job description: “Love God with all your heart, mind, and spirit. And Love your neighbor as yourself” Matthew 22:37-39
Sitting in a small, makeshift home deep in the Himalayas, surrounded by people offering all they had in exchange for encouragement, made me realize what it must’ve been like to be one of the 12 disciples. They travel all over, walk for days, travel across continents, all to sit in homes of people they don’t really know; to eat, drink, and laugh with new friends and talk about how good God has been to them. No fancy stage, no flashing lights, no loud music, or nice clothes. It people loving people, because they received a deeper love first that rocked their world. I imagine Apostle Paul walking into a bar getting a beer watching a football game and just striking up a conversation with the guy next to him. I see him eagerly wanting to know about his life and getting excited to tell his war stories in return. Imagine the guy he’s talking to. I bet he’d be shocked that a guy who has had such a hard go at life has so much joy and kindness to give away freely. That’s when I imagine Paul just shrugging, taking another sip, and saying that it’s worth because of Jesus’ sacrifice.
I want that kind of life. One where you come along people and just bring Jesus with you. Where you keep the faith and they joy and people just notice.
Last night while we were getting ready for bed, our pastor came in to say that there was a woman and a little girl there asking for prayer for healing. We got to pray for the little girl, who had been in pain for weeks, and watch her be healed. Jesus did that, sure as heck wasn’t me.
Jesus did that back in the day and He does it today because He loves us.
We love because He first loved us.
1 John 4:19
Why would someone want to follow someone when they are starving, naked, hurting, or discouraged? I wouldn’t. I haven’t. But, when we reach a place in our lives to live a life that is an example of what Jesus’ love stands for, and we see people for who they are, not what society or the world has made them believe they are; then they’ll wanna know why there’s something different. I’m not gonna wanna listen to you tell me about a God that loves me if I’m starving or full of shame.
See the person. Meet the need. Love them. Then tell them why.
I don’t always tell people about Jesus (probably a good thing I’m not called to be a full time missionary). I just don’t think I need to. I don’t believe in shoving something down your throat when you’re not willing to eat it. I believe in what my parents and my brothers have always said to me (AKA Ghandi)
“be the change you want to see in the world”
Done. I can’t fix it all. But, I sure as hell am going to try. There are broken people everywhere who just want to be fully known and fully loved. I’m gonna do my best to do just that.
xx M
