Last night the boys learned and I was reminded of a very important Biblical truth.
We are the salt and the light.
Matthew 5:13-16
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Twice a month, for two days, the boys are in a non-Christian environment. An environment that leaves them a bit defeated. Their prayers have been mocked and their faith ridiculed. They've come home and we've had to re-set ground rules on what is ok and not ok to say.
This Sunday when they came back they were especially sad about this environment but we prayed, we asked God to continue to help the boys be the salt and the light in this environment, to give them the strength they need to stay focused on Him and His will.
Last night we received a call. A call that gave the boys what they needed, hope. This group/family, prayed before a meal... without the boys being present. One of them asked to pray before dinner.
We stopped right then and there and prayed, thanking God for His work in their lives and that he would continue to give the boys the words, the actions and the heart to continue to be the salt and the light even when it seems impossible to make a difference.
One small step for God... one GIANT step for the boys.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
What so many need
There's a song by Casting Crowns called "What This World Needs" that's really beautiful (honestly, I haven't found a Casting Crowns song I don't like), and this song has a bit of dialogue in it:
People aren't confused by the gospel,
they're confused by us.
Jesus is the only way to God,
but we are not the only way to Jesus.
This world doesn't need my tie, my hoodie, my denomination or my translation of the Bible,
They just need Jesus.
We can be passionate about what we believe,
But we shouldn't strap ourselves to the gospel because we're slowing it down.
Jesus is going to save the world,
but maybe the best thing we can do is just to get out of the way.
As Christians, we get lost in the "shoulds" of the Bible and lose the message for ourselves but also for those who don't believe. Jesus is the message. God's love, mercy, and grace are the message. Being "Christian" is not. What I wear, is not. The big fancy church words I use are not. Being in peoples' faces about what they are doing wrong or right is not.
Legalism is not the way to people's heart. It never has and it never will be. It's just not how Jesus rolled and it's not how He wants us to roll.
Talking the Bible talk is far less important than walking the Jesus walk. The hard part about this is that talking is so much easier than walking... because when walking you can trip. And tripping in front of those trying to prove you wrong or who are unwilling to allow you to trip can be rough. Jesus doesn't expect perfection and reminding ourselves of this when the world does might make our walk and all of its trips and falls a bit more enjoyable.
People aren't confused by the gospel,
they're confused by us.
Jesus is the only way to God,
but we are not the only way to Jesus.
This world doesn't need my tie, my hoodie, my denomination or my translation of the Bible,
They just need Jesus.
We can be passionate about what we believe,
But we shouldn't strap ourselves to the gospel because we're slowing it down.
Jesus is going to save the world,
but maybe the best thing we can do is just to get out of the way.
As Christians, we get lost in the "shoulds" of the Bible and lose the message for ourselves but also for those who don't believe. Jesus is the message. God's love, mercy, and grace are the message. Being "Christian" is not. What I wear, is not. The big fancy church words I use are not. Being in peoples' faces about what they are doing wrong or right is not.
Legalism is not the way to people's heart. It never has and it never will be. It's just not how Jesus rolled and it's not how He wants us to roll.
Talking the Bible talk is far less important than walking the Jesus walk. The hard part about this is that talking is so much easier than walking... because when walking you can trip. And tripping in front of those trying to prove you wrong or who are unwilling to allow you to trip can be rough. Jesus doesn't expect perfection and reminding ourselves of this when the world does might make our walk and all of its trips and falls a bit more enjoyable.
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