Our glorious calling

On Tuesday, America's political landscape experienced an earthquake of sorts, rearranging the chairs in Washington, DC. Most of the punditry that I read attributes the people's overthrow of the Republican party to her drift from the core values of conservatism. Fiscal restraint, a commitment to smaller and less intrusive, more localized government, and true respect for human life and dignity were being eclipsed by bloated budgets, Congressional largesse, and disregard for the value of life and liberty. TFTD is not a political column so I'll leave my opinions out of it, but there is a clear parallel to the work of the Church and the lives of Believers that I draw from Tuesday's events. It is - 'keep the vision clear!'

Why did God call you and me into His Church? What is the vision He has for us?

Our answer to that inquiry is not found in our mission statements. It is much more clear in what we do, the way we allocate our resources. In my humble opinion, churches are always dealing with the risk of becoming social clubs that are all about building ever more comfortable buildings, creating positions of power and prestige for pastors and lay leaders, and becoming more and more shaped by the needs of those inside the walls, rather than serving those still outside. Jesus gave this mission to us: "Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world." (Matthew 28:19-20, CEV) The way of life to which those of us who are in His Church are called is outlined in Matthew 5, 6, and 7 where He said these kinds of radical things: "Keep your word. Don't let yourself even think lustfully. Forgive quickly. Practice humility and don't make a show of your faith. Be generous to a fault and don't tell anyone about it. Build your treasure in Heaven, not here on earth." Those are the core values of the Church!

Why are Americans skeptical of Christianity, increasingly looking to other religions for spiritual fulfillment?

We can blame the culture, and to some degree, that may be accurate. Self-fulfillment, pleasure, and wealth are the gods of this age! But, just as the Republicans would be mistaken to blame their electoral losses entirely on those outside of the party, we would be mistaken to blame our world for rejecting our faith. We need to invite the Spirit to shine His Light into our lives, showing us where compromise and fuzzy thinking are obscuring the beauty of the Good News of salvation through Christ, our Lord. Where we perceive that we have lost our focus and/or that we are not implementing the radical lifestyle to which we are called by our Lord, we must be prepared to pray- 'change my heart, Oh God!' Believer, if we want to be effective shapers of our culture, true ambassadors of the Kingdom who enjoy credibility, we must reclaim the mission of our Master.

Where we lose ourselves in selfless service, where we become advocates of those who are poor and oppressed, when we love people to wholeness instead of blaming them for their plight, Christ will be lifted up; and His promise is that 'where I am lifted up, I will draw all to Myself.' And know this! As difficult as it may seem to embrace His mission - there is joy to be found there.

Meditate on His call today. He is commissioning you and me saying:
"He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
.... And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.” (Matthew 10:37-42, NKJV)