Even If i Walk Alone

Instructing and encouraging you to live your life as a disciple of Jesus

Making Decisions

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There are times in our life when we really need to hear the voice of God. During moments of decision, we all yearn for clear guidance, not wanting to make a mistake. We pray countless prayers begging Him for clarity, but more often than not are left with lingering doubt and frustration. If God is always near us, why does He seem so silent when we need Him most? I sometimes wonder if I’m so busy pleading that I can’t hear His voice over my own incessant chatter. Yet when I try to be still and just listen, the silence lasts only a few moments before my mental factory begins tooling up again and hurling thoughts across my mind. While I certainly have much to learn in this area, let me share with you a few things I have learned in my walk with Jesus.

God created us to be agents of freewill; therefore He’s not going to make most of our decisions for us. Unless they somehow impact His sovereign plan for the world, we are pretty much left to exercise our freedom of choice. So I generally pray for discernment and wisdom. Certainly God sees the big picture and can see all the possible future implications of whatever we decide to do – or not to do, as the case may be. That is why I pray for discernment, because there are powers and circumstances in play that I could never fathom. The second thing I pray for is wisdom. God gave us brains to be able to process facts and make decisions based on our findings. His Spirit lives within us enabling our intuition to be prodded in ways that protect us or lead us in certain directions. Our own life experience provides us with some clarity based on what we have been through up until this moment in our lives. The point of all of this is that God will not necessarily speak to us in an audible way. However, He does speak to us by giving us discernment and wisdom, by prompting certain “gut feelings” and by enabling us to draw on the knowledge of what we’ve seen and experienced.

When you face a major decision in life, or even a small one, our first task is to pray. Pray for discernment and wisdom. Pray that Jesus will give you clarity and peace in the process and to reveal what looks like the better choice for you in this moment. Ask for wisdom so that you might understand all of the ramifications of your decision. In addition to praying for wisdom, seek wise counsel for your decision. Draw on the experience of others, particularly those who are older than you so you can benefit of their own observations in life. Seek out mentors, friends and family that you respect and that lead the kind of life that is both reverent to God and successful in ways that you admire. Take time to reflect on your own background and aspirations. How does your decision affect your goals? Does it move you closer or further away from them? How will your decision affect your relationship with Jesus Christ? Will it move you closer or further away from Him? Weigh the ethics and, to the best of your ability, the long term implications of each path you could choose.

While we may long to hear the voice of God in a clear, audible way when we are faced with decisions, we must acknowledge that this will be the exception rather than the rule. He has not left us without the faculties to come to a good decision. He has placed the Holy Spirit with each of us who choose to believe and follow Him. He grants wisdom and discernment to those who ask. Our minds are a gift beyond all comprehension, and we have the ability to process all that we need in order to come to a wise and pleasing decision, one that will best position us to further the Kingdom. Never forget that the point of our life on earth is to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Every decision must be made with this in mind. What choice better enables you to be those hands and feet? While times of decision and change can be frightening, Jesus is with us every moment. His power and wisdom are ours for the asking. We need only seek Him, utilize every resource at our disposal and seek good counsel. Having done all this, make your decision and move forward with confidence. Jesus remains with you regardless of how you should decide. He will be with you in every moment of your life. Rest in that knowledge and embrace the freedom He has give to each of us. In Christ there is no fear; live your life in total devotion to Him. Every other decision is a minor detail and will fade away in time. All that counts, and all that remains, is what we choose to do with Jesus. Decide today to follow Him at any cost; the rest is easy.

Asking for Help

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The New Testament focuses greatly on unity among the believers. Too many of us tend to believe we can do it on our own, and strike out on our path with no companions. This is not the way Christ intended us to live. Following Jesus is extremely relational. We need other followers to travel with us in order to gain from their perspectives and for the times we require assistance. It appears to me that we believe there is some form of merit to be gained if we travel alone and battle through the tough times without aid from someone else. Jesus kept twelve friends close by Him; when He sent His disciples out into the world, He sent them in pairs. Paul took along a companion or two on his missionary trips. We need each other to best carry out the mission of Jesus Christ.

Why are we so afraid to ask for help? We allow our pride to become our downfall. In Proverbs 16:18, the Bible tells us that “Pride comes before destruction”. When we do not ask for help, we are plotting our own demise. Plans fail, fortunes are squandered and relationships are ruined simply because we refuse to ask for help. Jesus said that whatever we ask for in His name, He’ll give it to us (John 14:13). Jesus specifically tells us to ask, and yet still we do not. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign of obedience. Asking for help is not an admission of incompetence, but rather a declaration of humility. By refusing to ask for help we miss out on the beauty of the divine dance, we deprive someone else of an opportunity to gain the blessing of helping a brother or sister in the name of Jesus.

By allowing someone to come to your assistance in a time of need, you not only are showing your own humility, but you are also demonstrating love to the one you ask for help. When you allow them to serve you, you are permitting them to live out their own calling and to exercise their unique gifts. Each of us must work together for the good of the Kingdom. We must come alongside one another, and allow someone to come alongside of us as well. We need to learn to see asking for help as a beautiful part of our mission. When we ask for help, we allow the Body of Christ to act in unity with one another, and this is truly a magnificent site to behold. Jesus prayed that His followers would be one, just as He and God are one (John 17:22). Can you imagine loving each other in such a way? It will require us to be totally upfront with one another and to put aside all pretenses. It will occasionally involve us getting hurt, and it will certainly be messy at times. However, walking in unity is what Christ commanded us to do, and so we have no option. We must put aside our pride and tear off the masks that hide who we really are. We desperately need one another.

Are you hesitant to ask for help? Are you living in unity with other followers of Jesus? Don’t miss out on the blessings of sharing your life with someone else. True followers of Jesus do what Jesus did, and Jesus kept twelve close friends around Him all the time. He mingled among the crowds and touched those in need. Once again, we have a beautiful example of what our lives should look like. How are you doing? Do you still harbor too much pride? I know I struggle with this frequently. Let’s trade our pride for humility and submit our lives fully to Christ. Let’s come clean and admit we desperately need help, that we simply can’t do anything on our own. Jesus stands ready to act on your behalf; our brothers and sisters long for the opportunity to serve Christ by serving you. Release your fears, lower your defenses, and throw away your pride. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

How Far Would You Go?

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How far would you go to follow Jesus? It’s easy to say you love Him; most of us would even say we’d die for Him. In Matthew 10, Jesus tells His us that if we follow Him, the world at large will hate us. Are we willing to be hated by the world? The leaders of Israel were constantly conspiring to kill Jesus, or to trap Him in His own words. They were determined to take Him down, one way or the other. Are you prepared to live that way, under that kind of scrutiny? Again in Matthew 10, Jesus issues another warning, telling us that our own family members will betray, disown and kill us. They will do this simply because we choose to follow Jesus. Are you prepared to cause division and strife in your family? Are you willing to love God more than you love them? Obedience to the call of Jesus is not an easy road.

It doesn’t end here. Still in Matthew 10, Jesus tells his followers that they will be persecuted and tortured because of His name. This is not a calling for the marginally curious. Following Jesus is extremely serious, and you must be willing to pay the price before you endeavor to do so. We are not promised an easy, secure life; rather we are told by Jesus that we’ll be like a lone sheep surrounded by many hungry wolves (Matthew 10:16). We will suffer. We may die. We will alienate many around us, and we may lose our friends and family. These are the facts given by Jesus Himself; this is not a game. Following Jesus calls for a radical commitment devoid of any self-interest. Is the cost worth it to you? Are you still willing to come along?

In another passage in Matthew (chapter 8, verses 20-22), Jesus tells us we should expect to be homeless if we follow Him. This is almost unfathomable to Christians in the West who have intertwined their faith with the American dream. If we are traveling into all nations telling others about Jesus, just as He commanded us to do, then what need of a home would we have anyway? Jesus goes on to say that we should not even take the time to bury our family members. This is urgent, and there is no time to lose. The days are evil and counting furiously down. Time is against us, so we cannot deviate from our mission for even an hour. We have to reject all that the world offers us and instead, accept all that Christ will freely give. Though others may curse us and spit on us, we must respond by loving them, understanding that they are simply in need of a Savior and that God considers them to be of infinite worth. Though others may jeer and even torture us, we must remain steadfastly committed to praying for them, and loving them. This is what Jesus did. If we would follow Him, we must not waver.

Are you in? Are you still able to say that you truly love Jesus? Do you love Him to the extent that you would die for Him? Christ took the time to warn us of exactly what we should expect. There should be no surprises when it comes our time to face and endure trials and persecutions. Rather, we should seriously consider our walk with Him if we are not already facing these trials. Perhaps we’ve given in to the Westernized view of Christianity, the one that is replete with multi-million dollar buildings and with sermons proclaiming a safe, successful version of Christianity. This isn’t about being comfortable or feeling secure. This is about following hard after Jesus Christ with an unbridled and unrestrained passion. The road is narrow and difficult, and only a few will persist.

Let me ask once more, “Are you in?” Are you ready to literally lose everything for the sake of Jesus Christ? Are you ready to travel all over the world to proclaim His message? Will you endure being mocked, spit upon, and tortured? Will you concede all of your friends and family in order to follow Him? Are you willing to die for the sake of Jesus? How far would you go?

Your Words Define You

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If we are going to live lives that look like Jesus, then we must live in such a way that it is obvious to others. It is not good enough to simply have the head knowledge or even the heart knowledge. We need to put what we know into action. While our activities will certainly go a long way towards defining who we are to others, perhaps nothing will say more about us than the words we choose to speak.

One of the most compelling verses for me in regards to my choice of words is found in Ephesians 4:29, where we read that our talk should only be in a manner that builds up someone else. Everything we say must be for the good of others. We are not to negatively criticize, gossip, or intentionally hurt another by what we say. Every time we speak, we should be speaking words of encouragement, of optimism and of love. People should feel better about themselves after speaking with us. That is what it means to build someone up. Leave them better and stronger than they were before your conversation. A little further in the chapter, in verse 31 we find instructions against being bitter and for putting aside anger, insult, slander, wrath and wickedness. I know for too many years in my life that would have left me with nothing to talk about. It can still be a struggle at times; when you are surrounded by people talking in negative terms, tearing others down, it can almost become contagious. That is why it is very important to not only guard your own speech, but also to be very careful about with whom you are choosing to associate. If you hang out with negative people who always put others down, you will find yourself leaning towards the same inclinations.

As you begin to change your patterns and habits of speech, prepare for others to take notice. Some will make fun of you and perhaps you may even lose a few friends. My experience is that most of these friends will come back over time as you continue to model a life that looks like Jesus. Most people are drawn to love and light, and as long as we are reflecting the glory of God, that is what they will see in us. Don’t worry about what others may think, simply live a life that Jesus will find pleasing. When you are criticized by others, ask yourself if you would rather behave in the manner that they do. If you wouldn’t then why would you even think of accepting their counsel as to how you should live your life? Accept instruction from wise people, those who love and fear God. Don’t get caught in the trap of emulating those who live in ways that are contrary to the mission of Christ.

As you begin to change your speech patterns to only build others up, this is the perfect time to seek out those who most need an encouraging word. Smile and speak kindly to those whom most simply ignore: for example, the cashier at the store, the janitor at your place of work, the homeless person you pass on the street. Words are free, they cost you nothing; but they can be of immense value to someone who is struggling. All of us can afford to give away the love of Jesus. His love is vast and there is plenty to go around. Develop a new habit of really seeing those you encounter throughout the day. Give them your undivided attention as you listen, look behind the stories to see their pain, and then speak an encouraging word into their lives. Be genuine, smile, and marvel at what God can do through your simple act of kindness.

Be careful of the words you say. You never know who might be listening and how they may be affected by them. Use only words of encouragement, words that will build up someone in need. Put away gossiping and insults forever; determine to only speak in positive and uplifting ways. Surround yourself with others who are also committed to building up others. As you genuinely speak love into the lives of others, you will find your own life changing in wonderful ways as you move ever closer to living a life which truly reflects that of Jesus.

What if this was your child?

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Earlier this year I attended a summit on poverty. A special attraction was a photography exhibit entitled “Fighting for the Forgotten”. These pictures depicted real homelessness in America, unedited and raw. From the rural roads to busy city streets, countless images of what it looks like to be poor and homeless were on display. These are human beings, men and women who have unsurpassable worth in the eyes of Jesus, and yet they live in a manner unfathomable to most of us. One of the more sobering and haunting images was of a family walking along the street, pushing a shopping cart of presumably everything they owned. The family consisted of a father, mother, and three children. My best guess would place the ages of the children at two, five and eight. What must it be like to live their life? We are somewhat accustomed to seeing the homeless man on the steps of a building or on a street corner. When I see pictures of homeless women it seems a bit more disturbing to me because of the increased vulnerability factor. Seeing the children, however, was something that I had not encountered or contemplated before. It would be easy to quickly move on, to go to the next picture and pretend that homelessness is for runaway teenagers and out of work adults. The startling truth is that families exist on the street, much as they do in your neighborhoods. Regardless of how they got there, these families are just like ours. The parents have dreams for their children and they desperately want to provide for them, to give them a better life. While it may be easy to ignore when it is not happening to us, take a moment to pause and ask yourself, “What if that were my child?”

Children on the street often are not able to go to school. The ones that are show up in dirty clothes, the same clothes they wore yesterday and the day before. You remember what it was like to be in school, right? Children that age (and let’s be honest, children of our age as well) are absolutely merciless. The teasing and bullying such a child endures will wreak untold damage on their self worth and self esteem, thus pushing them ever further down their spiral of despair. In order to have a meal, homeless children in school often subsist on special lunch programs provided by the government. These programs also lead to ridicule from other students. “Your daddy’s a bum”, “Your parents are poor and smelly”, and “Can’t your parents even afford to buy food for their own kid?” It goes on and on; tears well up and pain drives ever deeper into the heart of the ridiculed child. It’s unfortunate and sad when this happens to someone else’s kid; but what if this was your child?

Christmas and birthdays are joyous occasions for most children. I’m sure you have a favorite holiday memory from your childhood. What if all you got for your birthday was something your dad had scavenged from a dumpster? What if your only toy was falling apart at the seams, dirty, and smelled like a sewer? What if Christmas meant simply that your family would need to huddle closer together to beat back the biting wind that was ripping through your threadbare coat? For homeless children, Christmas is often a time of despondency as they watch happy shoppers with an armload of bags briskly pass them by. It is the season of giving, but for the homeless it is yet another reminder of their plight. For parents of homeless children, it is an unstoppable ache that burns deep within. For the child it is a reminder of a life they will never know. Seeing such a child on the street at Christmas is “heart-breaking” to us and we might even spare some extra change at this time of the year; but I ask you again, what if this was your child?

It has become far too easy to isolate ourselves in the suburbs. No longer is it necessary to expose ourselves to the reality of homelessness on the streets. Making the assumption that street people are tough and can take care of themselves misses the point entirely. The poor are not necessarily tough, and they don’t have some magic ability to survive. They need our compassion and our help. They need us to recognize that they are worth every bit as much in the sight of God as we are. These are our brothers and sisters; these are the ones whom Jesus called us to serve. The next time you see someone in need, remember they may also be a parent. Hidden in the shadows somewhere may be a child. This isn’t just tragic, this is a crisis. What can you do today to help a child in need? What will you do? What would you do if this was your child?