We received an email today that I found convicting...enough so that you are reading this mental response to it.
Someone wrote to us and mentioned he had just talked to another person that had visited us in Honduras. This person mentioned he could never do what we do here.
This is not the first time I have heard or read this, but it struck me today more and I had the immediate thought....
Neither could/can we!
Sometimes we stress in life, even as Christians, our need to be willing to be brave or step out and do something the world sees as crazy, weird, or just plain stupid. I am reminded of a sermon at the Church here last week (a coincidence I am sure...not!) that talked of reaching out in the great commission, and much to my surprise as I translated for the group that was here Jorge mentioned Oscar and I as examples of such bravery and leaving more comfortable circumstances to be here.
I think that misses the point. I do not recall seeing passages in the Bible about the great bravery of Moses, Mark, Peter, Paul, (and sure, even Mary, although thinking of them getting together to sing does strike me as interesting). Instead I remember Moses whining, Mark being a streaker but not for fun, Peter denying, and Paul being forcefully stopped in his tracks. Sure, these people did some incredible stuff as well, but what they did was not of themselves. None of us has the ability to do such things big or small as leading people out of slavery, proclaiming the Gospel in hostile territory, or whatever else God may give us to do, in and of ourselves.
So if you think the same thing about us, or someone else...that is your cue to give the glory to God, where it should be, because only through Him can we do anything (read Romans 9 for a good little debate on who does what in our relationship with God).
Now allow me to conclude with this tweaking of what is perhaps a familiar song (perhaps we should claim the "rat pack" name with a different twist for Chrstianity? Hmmmm)
Who can take a human, provide good works to do? The God-man can 'cause he mixes it with love and makes the world taste good, and the world tastes good because the God-man thinks it should
1 comment:
this has been my experience lately, exactly! Several heroic Christian stories I've encountered lately show me that there's a God much bigger, smarter, and better than anyone else who does these extraordinary things through people who are, like me, mediocre. and I'm so glad because I like having an amazingly great God in my mediocre life. Quite cool: thanks for mentioning that today.
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