“I’m a plumber.”
“I’m a Conservative.”
“I’m gay.”
“I’m Buddhist.”
“I’m Canadian.”
“I’m a guitarist.”
“I’m ____________.”
What did you think when you read that list above? Sound familiar? Chances are, you’ve either said or heard at least one of those statements.
Depending on the situation we’re in, we always tend to answer these “I am” questions differently. Some individuals identify themselves based on their occupation, others in accordance with their political views, and others in regards to their sexuality, faith, or hobbies. However, none of those categories define who we are as humans. All of those things can change and/or pass away. We need to define ourselves based on the one thing that will never pass away – our relationship with God.
John 20:21 beautifully illustrates the core identity of every Christian, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” – we are a sent people.
Just as God the Father sent the Son. And just as God the Father and the Son sent the Spirit. God the Father, Son, and Spirit are sending the Church (us) into the world.
What does that mean for me?
This means that the true meaning of a Christian is someone who understands that they’re sent into this world for a specific purpose. That purpose is “engagement.” If you do a brief survey through the New Testament, you’ll notice a pattern of engagement in the life of Jesus. When Jesus interacted with someone in the Scriptures, he would be filled with compassion, and then he would respond with action. Compassion –> action.
ex. Matt. 14:14 – When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
ex. Luke 7:13 – When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”
So what’s the difference between Jesus and us? We don’t act every time our hearts are filled with compassion…but Jesus did.
Following Christ is about living a life of engagement. It’s not just about praying a prayer and then sitting back and waiting for the benefits of heaven. Following Christ is not fire insurance. Following Christ is about participating in the story that God began from before creation. The story of sending and engaging.
“As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21)
So here are a few questions to ask yourself:
– Who has God surrounded you with?
– If you’re only surrounded by Christians, how can you intentionally make steps to engage and live life with others?
That is a pretty intense and difficult question. Humans are naturally seeking to be comfortable and most of us for routine. Once we get into the culture of hanging out with people around us because it is comfortable, we quickly lose sight of the mission and our life’s purpose. We die a little more each day and we wonder why we aren’t connected to God. The answer is usually because we are not engaged in the things that God’s heart is engaged with. If you wanna be close to God, join Him in His movement, get on board with what He is doing. Thanks for the post my friend.
You are right Kelly. I appreciate your thoughts. It is definitely moving
against the inertia of our culture