Even If i Walk Alone

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

Revolting Beauty

Reverse Your Message

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We talk about love on this blog, and we talk about it a lot. In fact my goal is that every reader would become a love extremist. Nothing will deter us from our mission of spreading love to each other, our neighbors and the world. Love is the central tenant of Christianity; we love others because Christ loved us and commanded us to do the same to others. We are committed to following Christ and living as He did. Therefore, we are committed to love.

If Christianity is all about love, why then are Christians so hated, and Christianity so reviled around the world? I believe it is a matter of the message that we present to that world. For many years, we have presented a message of what Christians DON’T do. If you’ll excuse the generalizations, realize that many Christians do indeed do these things, and also realize that none of them prevent a person from being a Christian, I offer this list of things we tell the world that Christians don’t do. We don’t drink, cuss, do drugs, gamble, sleep around, engage in homosexual activity, lust, lie, cheat, steal, commit adultery, look at pornography, gossip, or get jealous. And oh yes, we also don’t associate with anyone who does these things. Thus, we present Christianity as an exclusive, intolerant, holier than thou club. God forgive us.

We need to reverse the message. We need to get over ourselves, our ego and our piety, and begin telling the world the list of things Christians DO. We care for the sick, provide clothing for the needy, feed the poor and take in the orphan and the widow. In other words, we love. We are a body of imperfect, but loving and wholly accepting people. We need to deliver a positive message of hope, a message of what we as Christians believe and do. As we tear down the walls of injustice and intolerance, others will be able to better see the hope in the love of Jesus.

I am not enough of an historian to tell you how it is we got to where we are today. How did we go from the first century church that shared all they had with any in need and accepted all who came, to the modern church of greed, apathy, indifference and condemnation? We turn away those who look different, dress different, or engage in lifestyles we deem inappropriate. We turn our backs on those who have had abortions, cast out those who were unfaithful in their marriage and turn away those desperate for a meal. What have we become? We’ve become a people with a list of things we won’t do at the sacrifice of things that we should do.

What is your message? Who are you telling the world that you are? Who are you telling others that Christ is? If you are delivering a message of don’ts, reverse your message. Let people know who you are and what you do because of what Christ did for you. Put aside your prejudice and tradition and exchange them for a life devoted to living out the love you have received from Christ. We are Christians. We love as we are loved. This is who we are. This must be our message to the world.


Haiti: What’s Our Response?

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I try and steer away from tying in a blog post to a current event. My thinking is this gives the posts a more timeless element so that they can be applicable regardless of when you read them. The recent earthquake in Haiti (and subsequent aftershocks) has given me reason to break my unwritten rule. Looking at the pictures of devastation is heartbreaking. There is a great outpouring of support from the world at large which is heartening. At least we have not totally lost our soul; not yet anyway. As followers of Christ we must ask, “What is our response to the tragedy in Haiti?”

The most basic tenet of Christianity is to care for the poor and needy. Haiti is a poor country. They were before the earthquake; they are even more so now. As Christians it is our duty to serve them. We should have been serving them all along, but perhaps this tragedy will awaken our slumbering hearts. In mere moments, tens of thousands found themselves homeless, hungry and without basic sanitation. Tens of thousands more are no longer among the living. In the blink of an eye their lives ended and we lost the opportunity to serve them and to share the love of Jesus with them. It’s too late. We waited too long. We waited because missionary work was always someone else’s job. We waited because we were too afraid to give of our time or our money or ourselves. We waited because we were simply indifferent to the plight of a poor nation thousands of miles from our front door. While we waited, Jesus wept. He gave all He had for us. He died for us. He set the perfect example for our response to those in need. We ignored it.

Now, we are awake. Our eyes are open to the plight of these dear people. Each one of them is created in the image of God. Each one of them is loved unconditionally by the same Savior we call Lord. Do we love them? Are we willing to give everything we have to serve them? Will we open our checkbooks, our cupboards or our life to them? They are our brothers and sisters. Richard Stearns, President of World Vision, in his terrific “The Hole in Our Gospel”, writes “Authentic faith, rooted in the heart of God, is expressed in deeds done to ease the pain of others; it is imbued with personal sacrifice, and it comes with a cost.”

This is our opportunity; this is our time of great decision. We can rise up and stand with people of Haiti, or we can turn our back on Jesus and all we profess to believe. In a couple of weeks, Haiti will be off the front page, but the need will remain for years to come. So I ask again, what is our response to Haiti? Will we be unchanged by the tragic events or will we use it to open our eyes to the poor and suffering all over the world? Haiti needed us before the earthquake, and few of us did anything. Are we awake now? Do we now see the need that has been there all along and is far greater now? What will our response be to Haiti and the rest of the world in need? Whatever we do for them, we do for Jesus; if we turn away, we turn away from Jesus. How will you respond?

Humility, Truthfulness and Peace

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Be humble, truthful and work for peace. This is the kind of life we are called to live. We talk much about the things we should do, but not often enough about the type of person we should be. So as we strive to live a life that looks like Jesus, as we show love to everyone and as we care for the orphans and the widows, let’s make certain we are becoming the person Christ called us to be.

From my perspective, humility is one of the most attractive traits someone can possess. I love being around humble people. They make me feel better about myself, more comfortable in my own skin. Brash arrogance, on the other hand, sickens me and has me looking for a quick exit. Humble people are gracious and gentle. They don’t spend much (if any) time talking about themselves. They are much more interested in you and others. A life marked by humility is a life that is not self-seeking and rather is always looking for ways to deflect praise and credit. They know that all they have is a gift. As Christians, we know the source of those gifts, and we must never boast in our talents, as they are simply on loan.

Truthfulness is another welcoming attribute. I can’t imagine anyone really likes to hang out with folks who are habitual or even occasional liars. Jesus said that what we say should be what we mean; there’s no wiggle room there. I do not find any Biblical allowance for man made ideas such as the ‘white lie’. Tell the truth at all times. Others are drawn to those whom they can trust to tell the truth. Simply being truthful can add years to a friendship, while a single lie can end that same friendship in a heartbeat.

To live in peace can be very controversial. There are moral dilemmas and social baggage that accompany thoughts of living in peace. Is war acceptable if your side is “right” (Note that neither side ever actually believes they are on the “wrong” side)? Is it okay to use violence if need to protect your own family? What if I’m coming to the aid of an innocent victim? These are deep questions, deserving of their own post. For today’s discussion, suffice it to say that I’d rather live next door to a peaceful person than one prone to rage or revenge. Peaceful people are calming, and that is exactly the effect we as Christians should have on others around us. They should feel a sense of calm which will allow them to be more open to hearing about the love of Jesus.
As for me, whatever it is I might offer to this world is simply a result of the gifts that God has graciously given to me. How could I possibly take credit? I want to be a person known for straight talk, someone without a hidden agenda, and a person who will tell you the truth no matter what. Oh that my steps might be marked with peace and my hands open to help; I long for the mercy of God.

Guard your tongue; let truth be the only thing you allow to pass through your lips. When you agree to something, do it. When you are asked a question, tell the truth. Think more of others than yourself and constantly be on the lookout for ways you might help them. Remember all that you are is simply on loan from God; be humble. Wherever and whenever possible, live in peace with your family, your neighbors, and all those with whom you come into contact. Live a life modeled after Jesus, the life He intended for you to live; be humble and truthful always, living peacefully with everyone.

The People You Meet and the Books You Read

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Charlie “Tremendous” Jones once said that “You are the same today as you’ll be in five years except for two things: the books you read and the people you meet.” I submit that the same applies to our walk with Christ. Over the next five years, our growth – our ability to live a life that truly reflects and honors God – will be exactly what it is today except for the books we read and the people we meet.

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Moving Toward Your Goals

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Did you ever have one of those conversations that feel like someone just threw a glass of cold water in your face? Wisdom can come from the most unlikely of sources, yet one more reminder that God has an incredible sense of humor. It’s so easy to get caught up in the details of our day to day lives that we can lose track of what we’re actually trying to accomplish. I was recently talking with someone I’d never met before about doing some work together. He simply asked what my ideal job would be. When I told him, he responded with, “and how does doing this job move you toward that goal?” Wow; that unsettled me because I knew that working with him would do absolutely nothing to move me toward my goals in life. It was a simple statement from a stranger, someone younger than I, and with far less experience in this world; I don’t even know if the man is a believer in Christ. I only know that, at least on this night, God used him to speak wisdom into my life.

It’s amazing what we can hear, what we can learn, if only we are open to do so. While it is not the topic of this post, I encourage you to be ever listening for and ever seeking the voice of God. I think you’ll be surprised at some of the ways He chooses to speak. Personally, I love that; I love that God is unpredictable, unashamed and lacks all pretense. He simply loves us and will speak to us in any and every possible way.

But back to the question of my new friend: how is what you are doing today moving you toward your life goals? Perhaps we should back up and make certain you actually have life goals. Do you have a well defined purpose for your life? Are you pursuing things you are passionate about, things that God has uniquely gifted you to do? There is a well documented but rarely followed secret to accomplishing your goals: you must write them down. Write down your life goals on a sheet of paper and put a date next to each one. This is the date you will accomplish that goal. Now work backwards from the date and write down the tasks you will need to complete in order to reach your goal. Read through your goals no less than every week. Read them daily or twice a day. Constantly remind yourself of what you are working towards, and those things you must do to reach each goal.

Armed with a list of your goals, reminding yourself of them regularly, you will be well equipped to determine if the task at hand moves you toward or away from your goals. You will spend your life doing one or the other. I don’t want to live a life that constantly moves me away from my goals. I don’t want to face God when my days are done with the knowledge that I left unfinished the work He gave me to do. Life is but a vapor, just a breath. Our time is short and fleeting. Don’t waste your life moving away from your goals. Embrace your mission and only take on tasks that move you forward. Only God and you can say for sure what your unique mission, your unique goals will be. I do know that followers of Jesus will always have goals that in some way will advance His kingdom, His love and His mission. You are uniquely equipped to accomplish your goals. Make sure your mission aligns with His, that your goals advance that mission, and that you spend each day of your life doing things that will lead to the accomplishment of those goals. For this you were created, and for this you are called to live.