Jesus said that one doesn't light a lamp and stick it under a bucket and a beacon on a hill cannot be hidden. Lately, I've felt a little like that beacon. Since the weather has gotten nice, I regularly come home to find my back yard filled with toddlers and moms. After a bit, the dads sometimes find their way down for a drink and a chat. Jocelyn has such a way of making people feel loved and special. She is such a wonderful mom that other moms seek her out for advice and support. Tonight, on about an hour notice, we had four families over for smores. It was wonderful. We all chatted and laughed until the kids got wobbly and had to get to bed.
I'm sure that there are christians that would say we are no different than any other neighbor and couldn't be considered a light until we share Jesus with them. However, I really believe that over the past four years our neighbors have felt a love and experienced a lifestyle that is so refreshing that it's filling that God-shaped hole we always hear about at revivals... at least a little. And I'm proud of that. I'm actually excited that God has decided to use us in our neighborhood. In fact, one of the couples that joined us tonight has asked us to lead them in a Bible study with a few mutual friends. I can't wait to see where God takes that opportunity.
I think the thing that strikes me most profound is that in my past I tried really hard to talk about my faith and the Bible and really prayed for my neighbors to come to faith. Yet, without the works (the open, genuine and inviting stuff) it was useless. I talked a lot about Jesus... but didn't look a whole lot like him. I still don't look a whole lot like him, but I'm trying. And He's honoring it. And it makes me smile.
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4 comments:
aww man, can we come over for smores too? :)
you guys are awesome!
i think i agree with you to an extent. you said that "I'm sure that there are christians that would say we are no different than any other neighbor and couldn't be considered a light until we share Jesus with them." please let me be the hopefully not the first christian to tell you that you are different.
the key word in that sentence is share. for some reason (our churches) we have this conceived notion that sharing means trying to get people to believe in Jesus when sharing is doing "little things with great love" as Mother T said. just because you don't talk about Jesus doesn't mean you haven't shared Him with others. lots of people talk about Jesus, and that talk does more harm than God. showing Jesus is better than talking about Him. keep up the good work and if you invite keith over for smores, you better invite me (even though we have never met). my belly is almost as big as his. love wins.
its supposed to be more harm than good, not more hard than God. i wouldn't like to try to explain that one to the Big Man. yowsa.
man, I really miss living next to you guys! Keith
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