Living as a Christian
This morning Erica and myself had breakfast with some friends – go the bagels and coffee in Titirangi! We discussed what it means to be a Christian and share with others about our faith.
I found a common theme emerged that as a Christian, we are expected to live a life different from the masses. But how exactly do we appear differently? (Apart from when we gain enough courage to share with someone for a couple of minutes a month why we go to church on Sunday, or why we reckon evolution is a myth!)
During this talk I came to notice that we often think to be a Christian means to sneak Jesus (emphasis on the ‘sneak’) into a conversation in a ‘seeker friendly’ way. I too seem to live with a subtle underlying pressure to share Jesus, but is sneaking Jesus into a conversation somewhere ever going to be enough for me? And even if I do happen to sneak Him in, or win a conversation/argument with a Jehovah’s Witness at my door – will that make me feel that I have appeased my ‘being a good disciple’ tension…?
No.
So I have concluded that I’m taking a break from sharing Jesus, ‘cos it hasn’t worked that well for me thus far. Instead I am going to focus on:
1. Loving the homeless people we work with weekly in a more holistic way (which may include praying for them – even when they are sick from too many drugs);
2. Serving others who I see using their gifts to bless and disciple others;
3. My gifts, which often includes discipling younger Christians, and lastly;
4. Doing what Jesus did rather than trying just to imitate what He spoke.
My theology may be a bit wack here, but I’m always open to criticism (constructive only!).