I want to suggest as Easter approaches that we consider three distinct steps — preparing our minds and spiritual lives, preparing our hearts, and pursuing others intentionally in love.
Today, let’s look at preparing our minds and spiritual lives:
We were axe-throwing. I, and others, had never heaved a hatchet, so we gave it a try. Our “coach” was terrific. At the end of our session, I shared a Gospel of John with her. Her response was, “I love Jesus, he was the first communist!”
This time of year, I get to thinking about how I am ordering my life, and what I am aiming for. These thoughts of mine intersect with the annual ritual of New Year’s Resolutions. Whether you make New Year’s Resolutions or take a pass on that activity, the idea is certainly in the news.
Let me ask you. As you have been reading about “going & making,” about being an evangelist, have you felt as if all the weight of this task was on you? Have you been thinking about how you couldn’t do it? How you don’t have the gift? It is a natural reaction.
Today, in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, followers of Jesus are faced, on the surface, with a very different world—let’s try and unpack this situation and ask, “How should we share Jesus?”
The first benefit is obvious. Personal work positively affects our outward conduct. In our workplace, in our family, in our church, everywhere. The reality that we might speak a word about Jesus has a seasoning effect on our behavior
The world is constantly holding up to us images and ideas about what the aims of our life should be. It is not just folks who are trying to sell us something—it is Satan. Consider Jesus’ temptation. Satan sought to tempt Jesus three ways.
The challenge to “Go and Make”. Ever notice Jesus’ commands are mostly one-syllable words! Love, Serve, Obey, Go, Make. Interesting. What do you take away from that observation? Here is my takeaway. Jesus’ commands are simple to comprehend. And yet, simple does not equal easy.
The question I want to ask is, “When we approach our family and friends about Jesus, are we “cold-calling”. Are we showing up, invading their space, with an uninvited conversation? Marketing 101 – when a person is selling something, they need customers who are “in the market” for what they are offering.
You might think Seven Essays is a bit much, but this topic is critical. The salvation of our family and friends pulls at our heart. For some of us, often in the past, when we’ve tried, the result at times was discord. We leave those interactions feel paralyzed, or worse. The ability to share faith with family and friends is the most frequently expressed concern that people bring to us at The League.
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