I have started going to different places on Monday afternoons to work. Today it's Panera Bread (nice place, cozy atmosphere, free refills on GOOD coffee). I take my laptop and my folders and go to a place that offers wireless internet. It's weird...I could never study well in my dorm room in college, but could always study better in an environment with a lot going on. I'm finding that works well for my 'work' life, too... as long as people aren't talking directly to me. Anyhow, two things I'm learning: 1) I am enjoying the variety...it helps me be more productive and creative and 2) I can hear a lot of the conversations going on, which (I think) is helping me understand what's going on in people's lives, what is important to them, what the 'real' world is like and more. What do I mean by 'real'? I think that many of us, myself included, tend to put ourselves into bubbles where we non-intentionally isolate ourselves from people who are different from us. We naturally gravitate toward people who are like ourselves, who like the same kinds of things, think the same, share common political beliefs, share our faith, etc. We can then gradually become further and further removed from what is going on in the lives of those who aren't like us... who don't see things the same way we do... who don't know Jesus. There is nothing wrong, of course, with having close-knit friend groups who share our faith understandings. Actually, we NEED that desperately to stay connected with Jesus. But it is dangerous for the believer to not be seeking ways of reaching folks with the love of God through personal relationships. It's not the 1950's anymore. The Billy Graham Crusades have touched a huge number of people in our nation and they served well for their time. But there is a deep level of distrust among younger Americans for anything 'Christian' because of a variety of factors that I can perhaps mention later--criticisms both deserved and undeserved--and previous ways of reaching people--crusades, tv evangelism, tracks, etc--ain't cuttin' it now. In fact, these are increasingly part of the problem. It's gonna take more...and we're gonna have to get more creative, but one thing it WILL have to be is this...PERSONAL. We have to let people get to know us before they are going to know that Jesus and everything we believe about him is real. So, let me ask you this: 1) How does that make you feel? What goes through your head when you think about people getting to know the real you? You know who you are... are you willing to let others get to know you? 2) Who is the real you? If you allow people to know who you truly are, who will they be getting to know? ... and is that person who you want to be? Is that person who you should be? Is that person who God wants you to be? Why not take some time with Jesus and find out? You are Jesus' plan A for saving his world and there is no plan B!
2 comments:
How do you show people who you really are if your so afraid of what they may think? Or what if you dont know who you really are...how can you show others? What do you do if the people you have known for years and love very very much dont know who you are? you wouldn't want to dissappoint them and risk upsetting them by telling 'em that you have been pretend ever sence they met you...would you?
Those are GREAT questions and I appreciate you asking them! In a way, as a pastor, I deal with the same thing quite a bit, mainly because people have a certain expectation (whether good or bad) of who a 'pastor' should be. I'm trying to learn to get over all of that to be the man God wants me to be. If people love you for you, they will still love you even if who you are hurts them. It may take them time, and you will have to be considerate enough to give them that time. They may be surprised and need time to adjust. At some point, you are going to get very tired of playing the game...it's going to wear you out...and you'll need to get honest with yourself, God and those around you. It is a huge risk, but one that you are going to have to take at some point. It will be better for you and them in the long run, but it may be rough for awhile. Just hang in there. I'm praying for you!
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