In Luke 14:26 the term appears for the very first time… “The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.” So the first people to identify these followers of Christ as Christians were outsiders; people who did not know their stories, had never shared in a relationship, and did not understand the God they served! And realistically the term still fits, doesn’t it? When people speak about those who they believe follow the ways or teaching of Christ, they typically refer to them as Christians; many times without an understanding for who they are, how they live, or even what they believe. And certainly without grasping onto to the true relationship that Jesus beckons each of His followers into. Whenever I want to explain who I am to those who may or may not believe I use the term christian; as if to claim that I am different than others! When the reality is, that knowing Christ and being in a friendship with Him should not demand a title, but instead should be evident from the love they know in my presence and from the encouragement that parts my lips. Perhaps that won’t make sense to an unbelieving world; the idea of simply loving them and not trying to be right; not trying to point out and explain your differences! You may be asking does it really matter what you call yourself. Perhaps not if you are standing among a group of people who believe as you do and who live as you do, but to outsiders it may very well be the determining factor in whether they feel safe with you, accepted by you or able to befriend you. When you think about it, the term is almost used to divide us; to set us apart. Why, even my spell check deems it an important term, as it highlights it in red to be capitalized; trying to set it apart from the many other words that color this page. The very words that are necessary for this story to be written! The word cries out to be separated, but the vision of Jesus was to unite us! Tragically, we have been acting set apart for far too long; and we seem not to be doing that great of a job, nor are we being an inviting place for those who are searching to come find rest. We are just those christians over there doing our own thing! Folks, this is according to the statistics, not just my thoughts on paper! Many are seeing us as people who have been set apart, but not in a good way; as a group that has no room for them and their differences, their opinions, their failures, or their faults!
Here comes the gut wrenching question… Take an inventory of your friends, how many are not like you? How many do not believe? How many live an addicted lifestyle? How many are prostitutes? How many are homeless? How many are gay? How many are thieves? How many are sick? I am not talking about people you know or people you may have prayed for once or twice; I mean truly your friends! How many?
I know when God asked me this the other day I wanted to cry; because if I answered honestly, there were only a few over the years. I have never turned anyone away, but I also have not gone out seeking these sorts of friends! And painfully when Jesus befriended me, I was one of these; oh how quickly I had forgotten how He came for me and how much I needed Him to. There are people in your story that need to be come after and I would challenge that the main reason we do not have a multitude of friends like these is because we are afraid. We approach them as needing to be fixed; we feel like we must meet all their needs and have all of the answers in order for them to trust the Jesus we serve. We think we have to do the christian thing, as if their eternity is hinging on our ability to make God seem apealing. Instead of simply coming along side them, as Jesus would, where they stand, and offering them the simple, free gift of friendship. Walking with them on the journey they are on, not trying to force them onto our path. Learning from and teaching along the way; supporting one another and leaving the transformation part up to Jesus! This is how Jesus has said we would be set apart; this is where He urges us to be more than just His friend, but His disciple.
John 13:35 “By this everyone will know you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
We are relational beings; we all want to be a part of something bigger. We all seek purpose and destiny. We all have this in common and we all can offer this opportunity to one another in friendship. It is a free, beautiful and perfect offering! Share your life, your love and your God with a world who needs to see unification!!
Warning!!!! You may get hurt, you may be rejected, you may even be betrayed; but the beauty lies in understanding your own relationship with Christ; in understanding His unconditional love for us. That we may give up our right to ourselves; that we may accept his will above our own rationalization or our account of how we deserve to be vindicated! That we may give up on how it is below our dignity to serve someone who has treated us poorly. That we may say once and for all I am truly Yours, Lord! I can lay myself down and pick up the cross…..
Your will be done!
Your love be known!
Whatever the cost to me and my own!
