WORDS - everyday all around us words are being exchanged. Some helpful, others hurtful while others are just meaningless banter. If you were to examine some of the conversations that you have been part of say over the past week, how many were meaningful? Meaningful being defined as conversations that left a lasting impact and brought about some semblance of change. If that's the case, then I'm guessing that a better contingent of us are lacking in the department of meaningful conversations. I guess the question that one must wrestle with is this - are WE talking about meaningful and significant things to those around us, or are we just hoping that someone else will say something meaningful?
This past week, I’ve had the opportunity to be part of some 'meaningful' conversations. But what made the conversation meaningful was not anything insightful or intrinsically intelligent that I had to offer, but what made the difference was the Gospel. If I did not believe in Jesus, I really wouldn't have much to offer. The reality is we all have something to offer, but is what we're offering humanity actually helpful, meaningful and significant? Outside of Jesus, I have nothing to say when it comes to purpose, meaning, significance, value and worth. Outside of Jesus, I have nothing to offer when it comes time to wrestle with some of life’s toughest questions. I have a lot to say about a lot of different things, but what really struck me this past weekend is that without Jesus in the conversation, ALL of my (self) perceived wisdom is not really all that wise. When talking with an agnostic, some Muslims and some people who were at best indifferent to spiritual things this past week, the only meaningful things that I had to say were because of Jesus.
People around you and I are dying for someone to stand up and say something meaningful. If you know Jesus – start talking. If you don’t know what to say, quote Jesus – His words always seemed to get a reaction out of people, and His words seem to have a had a meaningful impact on people over the past 2,000 years. They have on me at least!
Posts
1 comment:
Ran across this blog post: http://ruach.wordpress.com/2008/02/14/a-compelling-life/
He writes that Gary Thomas suggests in his book The Beautiful Fight that “one of the best ways to engage our culture is to do the hard work necessary to cooperate fully with God to develop a compelling life."
“What defines a compelling life? Someone who is available to God and regularly experiences God’s fellowship, presence, and empowerment. There are no substitutes, no shortcuts. We are not compelling; on the contrary, we are sinful, often poor imitations of our Lord. But when God lives through us, shines through us, and overcomes our worst inclinations with his merciful transformation–that’s compelling. People become interested not so much in us but in what’s so different about us. The non-Christian notices the changes as we become more and more like Christ–if indeed we are experiencing more and more of Christ.”
I think this indeed ties into who Christ is, who and how we came to be, how can we be more Christ-like, and how we affect others will be transformed by our closeness to Christ.
Transformation or growth in our Christian DNA.
Post a Comment