How is it that Christians can fulfill the mission we are here to do, if we isolate ourselves in a Christian bubble? We must fuel up by surrounding ourselves with Godly people and continually be in the Word to grow and mature into all that God created us to be --this is true, but if we don't reach out to those who don't know Christ, then what good are we? If we are fueling ourselves just for ourselves, then all that God gives us and imparts in our spirits is of little value. We must take that Godly fuel and send it out into the world. That means connecting with those we may deem "ungodly" or "non-Christians", and building relationships with them. It is through those relationships that God can move through us to reach others. If we wrap ourselves up in our bubbles of safety, then I question how in the world the world will ever see Christ? How will the world ever get a glimpse of how much God loves them if we do not allow ourselves to be God's vessel to display it?
I see our role as Christians as a graceful dance led by the spirit in that we need to be so tightly intertwined with God that our every step is guided by the Spirit so that we know when to speak, and when to listen; so that we know when to step back and when to engage; so that we know when to be still and just pray for others and when to actively interact. When was the last time you, as a Christian, took the time to build a relationship with someone outside your Christian friends? We have so much to offer the world, but it's of no use if we don't take the time to build relationships and allow the world to witness God in action.
Don't expect that the world will truly appreciate God in our lives if we only know them from a distance, for it is through building relationships with others that opens the door for others to care and feel cared for...we all need to be understood and accepted for who we are, right where we are. When we impact others in this way, then our walk with God will be more purposeful in the lives of others. They will begin to trust and appreciate us, which opens the door for ministry -- it's really all about love...loving people right where they are and being willing to step out of our comfort zone and engage in the lives of others. Should we really stand in our spots, judging the lives of others and deciding whether the way they live deserves our interaction? Did Jesus interact with only those who were clean and nice? The answer is no! Yes, Jesus had his 12 disciples as His confidants and most of all, he knew when to draw away and be alone with God -- He knew how to fuel up and then take it out to the sick, to the ugly, to the unlovable. And, through that, many were changed.
We are to be the salt and light of the world... the bible says in 1 Peter 3..."Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." ... but people will have to know us and have a relationship with us to know that we have a hope! How can one ask you to give a reason for why we have such hope if they don't know us to know that we have hope?
Today, don't just pray for your Christian friends, but pray for your non-christian friends--you do have some, right? Go out into the world and treat it as your mission field--but don't go out with the idea that your going to preach the word first, go out with the humble approach of truly building relationships and caring for others--it is through that genuine, loving act that preaching will come naturally and in a non-preaching manner! Loving others is risky business. You may get hurt, you may suffer, you may have to go without or even feel a little uncomfortable at times...but isn't that what laying our lives down is all about? God will meet our needs through sometimes the strangest of ways; our focus should be to meet the needs of others, trusting that God will take care of all else.
