Today I was sitting in a place of business and I couldn't help overhear a conversation. I was there for a pretty lengthy time, and it was a pretty lengthy conversation. I'm not sure what prompted it to begin with... could have been the 10 commandments posted on the business wall, or the music that was playing in the background. All I know is the gentleman who began the conversation was pretty admanant about being an atheist, and the businesswoman was gently adamant about NOT being one. As they discussed the Bible and politics and Hell and earth (yes, I know it's rude to eavesdrop. I was trying not to... but I couldn't help it. ) I was struck by how opportunity knocks at our door each day.
I've often heard the saying, "If you had to stand trial for being a Christian, would you have enough evidence to prosecute you?" Would I? As I sit typing, I recognize that being a Christian is about far more than mouthing off words from the Bible and being able to discuss theology... but it IS about those things, too. When you stand in the face of someone who is questioning how you believe, do you know enough about it to back it up? It is hard to convince someone of something they are dead set against, and words must be used. Actions and words go hand in hand, though. We must DEMONSTRATE our love for Christ, the very love we witness about. but if we have no head knowledge, we can easily get ourselves tangled up in circles by those who are arguing.
This morning, every argument was responded to with a valid point. I sat and nodded my head in agreement. I'd rather live all my life and find out that I was wrong about there being a God than to live the other way and die to fall into the hands of a living God. What is the point of life if there is no other power? No higher purpose? Granted, I've been raised my whole life to believe in God, so it's been engrained in my head, but I've also experienced his tender mercies and love. I've been comforted by that sweet, quiet spirit and been amazed by the sunrise that my Creator painted across the sky. I KNOW in my heart there is a God. I KNOW in my head that sometimes it's hard to figure Him out, but He says we're not supposed to. He says in Isaiah 55:8-9 ".“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. " It's not our job to figure it out. It's our job to love one another...
And that goes back to the whole letting our light shine. Sure, some "Christians" do bad things... but they aren't really Christians. Even though we all sin and fall short of the glory of God, and we must daily die to our flesh... we are known by the fruit that we bear. What kind of fruit am I bearing? Is it drawing people to Him rather than repelling them? Are the words I write on this blog and on Facebook and those that come out of my mouth congruent with a love for Christ, and does how I treat people back that up? We can't judge, and we are only responsible for our own actions... but we are called to be lights, a city on a hill. We're the salt of the earth. We're to go out and preach the gospel to all men. Sometimes, it comes from those in a pulpit, but to most sinners, it comes from me... and you... and a businesswoman who passes out devotion books and has those "tough" conversations with her patrons. Lord, let me be a light.
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