By being who we are

We are helping to make it easy for people to come to know the Lord without even trying. Our attitude points the way. Here’s how:

By being accessible. Our lives are an open book. Paul says we are letters “known and read by everybody” (2 Corinthians 3:2). Christians should be the most accessible people on the planet. The reason is: we contain Christ. Someone rummaging around in our lives is going to bump into Jesus. Can’t help it. This isn’t about being a good witness; it’s about being who we are.

By being imperfect. Our ordinary, fallible, broken lives are a constant source of life poured out to others. It is through our sin that others come to know forgiveness. It is through our suffering that others come to know God’s comfort. It is through our sickness that others come to know God’s healing. It is through our pain that others discover joy. It is through our death that others find life. (2 Corinthians 4:12)

By being non-judgmental. This attitude is the natural and normal result of finding out what a total jerk you are (and that word is about four stages removed from what I dare not print here). When you are the poster child for how far grace will go, you can’t possibly bring anything close to judgment upon another human being. Judgment is only for those who are working their way to heaven and relatively sure about already making it. People who know they don’t deserve heaven don’t really care who else gets in.

By being full of gratitude. This is what makes you pleasant to be around. This is what makes you approachable. You just can’t believe you get to breathe another breath. You can’t believe you get forgiven. You don’t know why you are loved and accepted, but you’re not going to bring it up in case one of God’s angels might find out they made a mistake and put you in the wrong group! Truly, God must have made a mistake when He put me in with the good people.

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3 Responses to By being who we are

  1. Chuck McKnight's avatar Chuck McKnight says:

    While I agree on the point that we should be accessible, that’s not at all the context of what Paul was talking about in 2 Corinthians 3:22. And the “you” in that verse does not refer to us at all.

    He said that “you” (very specifically the church at Corinth) are “our” (Paul and Timothy) “letter” (of commendation; see verse 1).

    Paul and Timothy didn’t need a letter of commendation for the Corinthians, because it was they who led the Corinthians to Christ. This had to do with Paul’s confirming his apostleship to them.

  2. Kathy Willis's avatar Kathy Willis says:

    And “being full of gratitude” and showing it, not only makes yourself feel great, but it becomes contagious (spelling?) and all of a sudden those around you are feeling gratitude as well!!

  3. Gary's avatar Gary says:

    Good Catch. I agree totally. Now step aside a moment. I”m a little confused. A few days ago in the “Whats in a name” Catch I kinda felt I was being told “Christian” needed to be down played so any preconception could be, oh I don’t know, diverted.

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