For quite sometime I've been trying to figure out this "missional living" thing. I get that it's a shift in thinking. It takes the mundane in life and gives them eternal purpose. I know this in my head and my heart understands its importance, but the practical application of it, fleshing it out, is a little more difficult.
When I read things like...
"There are no such things as spiritual and secular jobs--we just made that up. God calls people to himself, and then to display him in every way, wherever we are... We are made to work in the mundane, but we aren't defined by the mundane. Because Jesus set us apart with a deep purpose to live out... If you're showing God to the world in whatever you're doing, you're on the right track.(Restless, 41)"
I get it! I whole heartedly agree and say Amen. But it also makes me a little bit nervous because we are so comfortable keeping our faith to ourselves. Most of us will claim Christ. We have some kind of relationship with him, but we feel inadequate to share our faith in everyday situations. We feel inadequate because we don't really know what to say. We don't know what to say because we don't spend time in God's word. We don't spend time outside of church in personal fellowship with him. But we are NOT inadequate at sharing what's important to us with others.
It's amazing what people will promote. I mean "social" media are no longer for social purposes; instead, we are saturated with advertisements for a wide array of products and lifestyles. I'm not complaining. I'm simply voicing an observation. We have no shame in sharing our healthy eating habits, exercise of choice, whatever the latest product is that is meant to give you a better, more beautiful life. But it has to be said that even though a healthy lifestyle is of benefit, it will not save your soul (1 Timothy 4:8). It will not have any impact on eternity. Matt Chandler has this to say, "At the end of the day, our hope is not that all the poor on earth will be fed. That's simply not going to happen. [Matthew 26:11] I'm not saying we shouldn't feed and rescue the poor [Isaiah 58:6-11]; I'm saying that salvation isn't having a full belly or a college education [may I add a healthy lifestyle] or whatever. Making people comfortable on earth before an eternity in hell is wasteful." (The Explicit Gospel, 83...I added the scripture references)
God uses people to make himself known, that is his way. I've been so challenged to allow God to use my everyday to make himself known. I don't know about you, but my days seem filled with insignificant things. It's easy to keep my perspective of life about my routine details instead of seeing my routine details as an opportunity to make God known. Isn't that our purpose in life, to know God and to make him known.
So let's get after it. If you don't know God, get to know him. If you know him, but not in a way that impacts your daily living, then press into him. He is the Savior, but he is so much more. Let's live on mission, but let's do it by speaking the name of Jesus and sharing his truth with our friends, neighbors, waiters/waitresses, co-workers etc. "Some people won't like hearing it. What else is new? This has been true as far back as Genesis. It has always been true that some people do not want to hear this message. But some are going to hear it and be saved. So, relational evangelism? Go for it, as long as it turns into actual evangelism. You hanging out having a beer with your buddy so he can see that Christians are cool is not what we're called to do. You're eventually going to have to open up your mouth and share the gospel. When the pure gospel is shared, people respond." (The Explicit Gospel, 81)
If you have a business, use it to create an opportunity to share the gospel. If you go to the gym, use it as an opportunity to share the gospel. If you take your kids to a play group, use it as an opportunity to share the gospel. If your making dinner for your family, use it as an opportunity to share the gospel. "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of the God." 1 Corinthians 10:31
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
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