My computer is missional. Most likely yours is too.
Ever notice how the logo on your laptop is upside down to you? In fact, how many times have you placed your laptop in front of you with the logo towards you and tried to open the thing? I still start to do it all the time. Of course there’s a marketing reason for this. Once you have your laptop open, it’s more important that everyone knows what brand of computer you are working on. You already know.
Faith is a lot like this. Our faith is for others as much – if not more – than it is for us.
For the longest time, Christianity has been an intensely personal thing. Everything has been geared for personal growth and development. Just think of all the books in a Christian bookstore and how many of them are for you, the believer, to grow in your faith. All well and good, but our faith doesn’t stop with us. In fact, if it doesn’t go beyond us, there is reason to wonder if it is real. Our salvation is so much more than just securing a place in heaven for you and me. It is meant to enlist us in a mission to reveal Christ to others through our lives.
Remember this: “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life” (2 Corinthians 2:14-17)? Does that sound like a private faith? No, that sounds like a mission, and indeed it is. Thankfully, it’s a mission that God works in and through us by His Spirit, but we want to be conscious of this and active participants with Him.
Be consciously thinking today about who your faith is for, other than you. Whose life can you make a difference in? How is Christ working in you? Who needs to know? Whom are you walking alongside? This is what we’re saved for. We’re saved for a reason, and a big part of our growth is finding out what that reason is so we can make the most of it in the time we have to occupy this earth.
It’s such a simple concept, but so profound, and I hope you will never open your laptop again without being reminded of this.
John Fischer The Catch 
This hits home today as I watch a friend of mine struggle with having to call hospice for their 19 yr old son, late stages of a brain tumor. They are such a faithful family and that faith has grown and multiplied among their friends and family like wildfire. I pray that I don’t wait until something like this to allow my faith to shine to the world.
kfd&p I am so sorry for your friends at knowing they will soon lose their beloved son but I am sure they are reminded of God losing His beloved son and He will wrap His loving arms around them to bring them peace.
And might I add that at 61 I have finally begun to understand that almost nothing in my life is about me and nearly everything is about God. That is especially true for the difficult things that happen.
The tough stuff that happens is really all about showcasing God’s love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control to others. The tough stuff also helps shape me into the person that God wants me to be which, yes, is for my benefit, but even that is really not about me, but is really all about Him and what He can do in someone’s life.
Reminds me of J.T, the fellow that led me to the Lord… one of the quirky things he did ( and there were many) is that rather than wear his watch so that he could see the time when he lifted his wrist, he wore it upside down so other folks saw the time correctly.
Kdf&p – I think you are letting your faith shine thru right NOW… we’ll pray for your friend and her son.
Someone was sending me a daily email devotional from a very famous American pastor. It was sickeningly sweet, all about me, and how God wants to bless me, and make my dreams come true. John, you are never easy on us, and I like that. I love how you push me to be others-focused.
But I would venture to say that before ourselves and others, our faith is for God. Our cheif end is to glorify Him and enjoy Him. He is worthy of all praise – mine and others’. Someone once told me that mission exists, because worship doesn’t. It took me a little while to come to see that, but now I agree.
A very interesting take on faith. Isn’t faith like the computer a two way lifestyle? For other to look at us and see and for us to practice and work on each and every day. Faith for sure is for others to see in us and it is for sure for us to show and give to others around us. Thank you for your faithfulness in sharing each and every day.