Over the past several months you've heard me discussing that we must activate our faith through our actions. Another way of putting it is that the natural result of a life "all in" with Jesus has very physical, tangible results and that these results will make a lasting impact on our world locally and globally.
As Christ-followers, we should see the world around us being transformed very naturally and organically because of Jesus living through us.
But you may find yourself asking, "What does that really look like in my life, in my everyday world?" I can empathize with that notion completely!
To be honest, the more we get to know Jesus as we read The Scriptures, the more He awakens within us a passion for people and this is where the tension arises. We feel compelled towards others but don't want to either freak them out or be seen as uber religious or be put in the same category as "Bible thumpers."
Are ya still trackin' with me?
So how do we do this? How do we communicate the grace and love of Jesus in a way that contextually becomes relevant in the lives of our neighbors, coworkers or friends?
This must be an inside-out thing. Let me clarify. What we do missionally to engage our world for Christ must... let me say that again, MUST flow from within our own heart and unique giftedness as Jesus moves us outward toward others. Otherwise what we do may seem manufactured which may have the opposite effect that we hope to have happen.
Caring for and loving others just because they exist, this is what Jesus did and it is from the overflow of Jesus' love in our own lives that we give this love away- freely and without agenda.
Now, what I am about to suggest is not a comprehensive list but several actionable steps that we can take to help spur our own missional creativity.
1) Eat. Yeah, eat food. I know that it sounds simple but we see evidence of this all throughout the Scriptures (Matthew 9:10-12, Matthew 14:15-21, Mark 8:1-9, Luke 7:36, Luke 7:33-35, Luke 10:5-9, John 12:2, John 21:15). Besides, we all eat at least 3 times a day right? Why not be intentional about inviting others to join us? One of the most recognized and celebrated traditions of the Christian faith is... the Lord's supper. One last thing, we should try to do this with people "not-like-us." Try it out and see where God takes it.
2) Be a regular. Go to the same grocery store. Visit the same cashier. Engage in a conversation. By doing this everywhere we go, we begin creating relationships with people that God cares about intensely; people that He wants us to care about too.
I do this when I go shopping for groceries and at my local Starbucks (of course). I love getting to know people's stories... and I'm an introvert! Seriously. My Myer-Briggs is INFP (introvert, intuitive, feeling, perceiving). If I am an introvert and can do this... so can you. Here's why- because I don't rely on my own motivation to do this. I rely on God's Spirit to guide me, strengthen me, and compel me.
3) Sit in the front of the house. Having a barbeque? Move the grille or smoker to the front of the house. It's amazing how many of our neighbors we begin to interact with when this happens. Having an afternoon tea or coffee? Sit on the front porch or lawn. Here's a tangent: hasn't it ever seemed odd to you that we have huge back porches and fenced in yards with 6' fences? It's like we want to purposely avoid one another.
As Christ-followers, let's try to reverse this tragic neglect of basic human desire... to be known.
4) Be friendly. See someone cleaning up after a dinner? Help them. Notice a neighbor at the grocery store? Say hello.
Try this one: wave to everyone in your neighborhood- whether driving, walking or just hanging out in front of your house. It's amazing how this has transformed the culture in my own neighborhood. I have been doing this now for seven months and I have had new neighbors comment to me, "Everyone here just seems so friendly-- they always wave at you." That was not the case when I moved in but this simple act of intentionally being friendly has changed my neighborhood.
5) Throw parties. Christ-followers ought to be known for the BEST parties. Need a reason to have a party? How about because they're fun! Or try this place for ideas- http://brownielocks.com/. We once celebrated "Talk Like A Pirate Day" for an entire month! Every social gathering, party and family night were pirate themed. Our neighbors loved it!
We should always strive to give our best too. A half-hearted party that we could care less about won't be fun for us nor anyone else. Throw you heart into it. But remember, it's not about the production nor how many people come to our shin-dig, it's about the people who show up.
People matter most.
6) Organize a care calendar. Every now and then we hear of a neighbor going through a rough time or time of transition- job loss, tight on finances, loss of a friend or family member, new baby, etc. Why not organize some neighbors or small group friends to reach out to that person with some meals. It's easy to collaborate and set up by using http://carecalendar.org. The impact that this can have on one person's life is astounding. My wife and I have experienced this first hand and in turn have become advocates of this type of tangible love. Who doesn't feel loved when they find out that someone has organized bringing them meals for a week? This just might be the catalytic action that propels someone toward Jesus.
7) Go for walks. This goes hand-in-hand with the "Be Friendly" portion as well. As we walk, we should look for people to just say "Hi" to and then stop if someone wants to talk. Seems simple, doesn't it? I know that this may mean that we have to record Lost or put down the Xbox controller but it is well worth the effort... and it's healthier for us too!
I'm sure you've noticed a trend with these recommendations- food. I can't help it. It's how I'm wired. I just love a good meal. I love conversation over a Venti at my local Starbucks. See...
I truly believe that the quickest way to a person's heart is through their stomach.
As I stated earlier, this is not a comprehensive list and I am sure that I have missed a lot of other good, missional opportunities. But when we look at the rhythms in our life it's good to ask ourselves- are we truly noticing other people? How often do we look others in the eyes and let them know that they matter? When was the last time we told someone that they did a good job?
My hope is that it will help us all think through some everyday type of activities and interactions that we already have to help spur us along with more intentionality.
Be creative. Enjoy the process. Make some friends.
Do what you normally do with Gospel intentionality-- that's being missional.
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composed by
dave
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