One of the biggest fallacies I was taught was that as Christians our job is to always be trying to convert others to become Christians as well. The problem is I don’t see anywhere where this was modeled by Jesus. Sure, when He called His disciples, He told them to “Follow Me”. I don’t really think that was an evangelistic outreach however. If you disagree, try employing that same strategy at a local mall some Saturday. No, the way Jesus drew others into a relationship with Him was by loving them. He didn’t ask for anything in return. He loved us because that’s who He is. Jesus is love through and through. He cannot act otherwise. As His followers, this is how we should strive to live.
Daily Life
The Promise of a Fresh Start
How will you serve Jesus in the year ahead? In what ways will your life reflect the love and character of God? What new disciplines will you implement to facilitate your spiritual growth? We are a people given to new beginnings and New Year’s resolutions. There is something exciting in being given a clean slate, an opportunity to begin again from scratch. We don’t need the beginning of a New Year for this; we can choose a fresh start at any time. Still, when the New Year does roll around, most begin excitedly thinking and planning for the possibilities the next year might hold. This is a great time to honestly evaluate your walk with Christ and prayerfully consider how you might better serve Him in the year to come.
Suburban Christianity
Part of the fallout from modern Christianity confusing following Christ with pursuing the American dream is the rise of ‘Suburban Christianity’. This is the expression of our faith that is steeped in the illusion of serving others while really hiding behind a veil of safety and selfishness. Having spent the past ten years living in suburbia, I have found myself leaning into this mentality from time to time. We convince ourselves that we are the part of the body that supplies the funds for those working closer to the real problems. I am not disputing there may be some truth in that way of thinking, but at the same time we must be careful to not use that as an excuse to remain sheltered in our safe, comfortable, and predictable worlds.
Christmas 2014
I confess that I have wrongly come to treasure Easter more than Christmas. The commercialization of the day that used to be exclusively for celebrating the birth of our Savior has robbed some of the fascination from this season. From late October we’re inundated with sales flyers full of fantastic buys on things we still cannot afford and rarely ever need. Songs about Santa Claus and snowmen dominate the airwaves in anticipation of a day that used to be a celebration of the love of God. Sadly, it has devolved into a stressful, frenzied time that focuses on giving to others, but perhaps more so on what we will receive.
The Pursuit
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve talked to people who tell me, “Well, all religions are basically the same.” When I hear that, I know that the individual has either never explored becoming a follower of Jesus or they have been subjected to some very misleading teaching. I would grant, that at their core, most religions are the same. They all involve a deity who set some standard or demands certain rules to be obeyed and then humans are left to pursue living up to that standard or following those rules. But Christianity is different. It is the only religion that has a God that pursues humans instead of the other way around.