Living Christianity

Sometimes, like this week, I sit to write and find that my brain is in neutral. I’m guessing I must have had a rather quiet week even though I’m always busy. One thing exciting happened Friday evening. Thunder and lightning with about thirty minutes of rain, the first in over two months. Water almost ran down the street. Well anyway, like waiting on the rain, a little patience goes a long way knowing that sooner or later my brain will kick into gear, whereupon I’ll simply start with what I’ve got and go from there. I love sharing a message with you every week and even though I sometimes draw a blank, I will never grow weary in my well doing, sharing my blessed life with others.
This is the story of a missionary attending language classes in China. The first day of class the teacher entered the room and, without saying a word, walked down every row of students. Then, still without saying a word, she walked around the room again. Finally, she stopped at the front of the room to address the class. “Did you notice anything special about me?” she asked. Nobody could think of anything in particular. One student finally raised his hand. “I noticed you have on a very lovely perfume”, he said. The class group-chuckled, but the teacher said, “That is exactly my point. You see, it will be a very long time before any of you will be able to speak Chinese well enough to share the gospel with anyone in China. But even before you’re able to do that, you can minister the sweet fragrance of Christ to these people through the quality of your lives. It is your lifestyle, lived out among the Chinese people, that will minister Christ to them long before you will be able to share one word with them about your faith in Jesus.” The same is true for all who believe in and want to share the saving grace of God’s love. Though you may not be an eloquent speaker, unbelievers you encounter will be ministered to by the Christ-likeness of your daily life, if indeed you live Christ-like.
Walking down the street the preacher noticed a very small boy trying to press the doorbell button on a house nearby. The boy wasn’t tall enough to reach the button. After watching the boy’s efforts for a minute, the preacher decided to assist the youngster. Walking up behind the little fellow and placing a reassuring hand on the child’s shoulder, he then gave the doorbell a solid ring. Crouching down to the child’s level the preacher asked, “And now what, my little man?” The boy replied, “Now we run!”
[Galatians 6: 6-10] (NIV) v.9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (NAS) And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. Where would the Lord find me if He were to return today? What would I be doing? What would I be saying? What would I be thinking? These are questions that should be in the forefront of our minds. Too often we fail to see the urgency of living a Christian life. Yes, it is a life that must be lived, (James 1: 19-27), and not a life that is just talked about. Complacency and the status quo have robbed many Christians of their God-given ability in being a vital asset to the growth of the Lord’s church. The God we serve is too extraordinary for His people to live ordinary lives. Paul writes in Ephesians 2: 10, For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Are you a “talker” or a “doer”? Don’t draw a blank! The Lord is coming!