So it took couple of days to upload this to the website. Its for those of you who don't have FaceBook.
What are You in the Business of?
Earlier this week I was reminded of this question & the purpose of our overall mission outlook. Every now and then I must remind myself to reign in on the energy & outreach and check it with the what my purpose as a Christ follower is. One of the best ways to do this is to pick up a little book called 3 Simple Rules. I would encourage each person to have a copy of this book and familiarize yourself with its contents. It is written from the writings of John Wesley and narrows down, almost to a perfect form, 3 simple rules for the plight of evangelism. Now if you cringe about hearing the e-word, please remember, God didn’t screw that one up, we did. We have modified the e-word in our day and time to mean missions; but, the word remains the same and no matter its direction or appearance, it is what we are all called to do; to witness & testify about the love of God that is within His son Christ Jesus.
So that brings me to my question, what are you in the business of? Many times it is very easy to start listening to the crowds, the mobs, applaud you and tell you that you are doing the right thing; a wonderful thing. But, what are you in the business of, pleasing them or God? In a world of Twitter and FaceBook, you have followers & friends you never have heard of. A lot of times you’ll write something that puts a smile on their face or makes them feel warm and fuzzy inside; but, whats the point of that really? I think a lot of times we get caught up the mob activity and want to provide the miracles, instead of concerning ourselves with the individual human spirit.
If your still with me, I’ll explain. I have had the opportunity to see three teams come from different parts of the US since I have been here. Each one has had an unique quality about them; each having great people apart of them. I’ve also seen all the stuff that they bring with them, for the entertainment of the masses. I like to call it, Junk for Jesus. All these games, crafts and arts are cute; but, what is the purpose and point that they serve? Its very easy to be popular in a place like this, especially when your handing out all sorts of free stuff. For some of you who have had the experiences like this, you’ve seen kids come from near and far just to see whats going on. Now the miracle is this, that no matter how many kids come, and this week I saw a number approaching 250, all seem to be served. These hoards of kids remind me of the 5,000 that got served one day on a mountain side. In actuality, thousands needed to be fed on multiple occasions, and Christ delivered. But, Christ’s purpose was not to corner the market on the fish and chips business. Our purpose is not to provide necklaces, bracelets, etc... to every starving kid. Its easy to make them happy. Its also easy to create a riot and chaos. But, is that what God has called us to do; to happily please children with cheap crap from China? No. We are called to something a bit more meaningful. Something a bit more soulful.
Unfortunately, children get most of the attention. Some of them are just so darn cute. I would like to tell you about an experience I had this week that made the point clear of what I, and we, are here to do. Herman, the boss man for the construction crew at Torebeck said it best. That under these teams, he has noticed an absolute transcending of racial, economic and social barriers that he has never seen; EVER! Kids don’t understand that. What we are here for, and Christ was here for, is for the individual soul. The individual relationship. The soul of that person is the most important part to reach, to touch, in your evangelism effort. Many times its your own soul that is touched. That is the business that we are here for. It doesn’t matter the numbers of kids get a laugh from the blancs handing out stuff. The miracle isn’t necessarily the number served by the fish and chips; but rather its the multiplication of Christ’s efforts in your heart and how that effects each individual you interact with. Don’t get caught up with what the masses want; but, what does God want? I would like for you all to take this to heart and not concern yourself so much with the quantity of those being served; but, rather the quality of your effort and what that means to the preservation of one’s everlasting and immortal salvation; both your soul and theirs.
Shawn
