Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, which means lent has begun for us Christians. Some of you may have got ashes on your forehead, some didn't. Truthfully I don't feel it matters whether you got ashes or not. If we got ashes, does that make us better? No. If we didn't get ashes does that make us less? No. I truly feel it's more of a heart matter. What does my heart tell me about the importance of these 40 days? For some of us, our first concern is what are we going to give up? Chocolate? Pop? Facebook? Internet? Carbs? The list could go on for miles. As a child I usually gave up something that was somewhat easy. Usually I chose something I didn't like anyway. But now as an adult I have taken a different tune. Instead of giving up something I chose to do something better to suit God's will for my life. My question to you and myself is simple; What can I do during lent that will help fulfill God's plan for my life and draw me closer to Him?
The old saying, "be careful what you ask for" came true to me as I posed this question to God before I started to write today. As you will see, God opened my eyes in ways I didn't think possible. As I write this today, thousands upon tens of thousands, and maybe even more of our fellow believers are being persecuted and executed for their faith. Some are in prison, some are worse off. As we sit in our comfy homes, with heat or air conditioning, these people are losing their freedom and their lives in order to stand up for their faith. Are we willing to stand up? Are we willing to step out of our comfy zone and be bold and confident for Jesus Christ?
The old saying, "be careful what you ask for" came true to me as I posed this question to God before I started to write today. As you will see, God opened my eyes in ways I didn't think possible. As I write this today, thousands upon tens of thousands, and maybe even more of our fellow believers are being persecuted and executed for their faith. Some are in prison, some are worse off. As we sit in our comfy homes, with heat or air conditioning, these people are losing their freedom and their lives in order to stand up for their faith. Are we willing to stand up? Are we willing to step out of our comfy zone and be bold and confident for Jesus Christ?
Matthew 10:32-34 "Stand up for me against world opinion and I'll stand up for
you before my Father in heaven. If you turn tail and run, do you think I'll cover for you? "Don't
think I've come to make life cozy. I've come to cut—
I know these are not easy words to grasp but we need to start standing up for Jesus Christ. Now before you all grab your guns and swords and start yelling about going to hell if you're not a believer, let me say what my heart is saying. We can stand up in ways we never dreamed just by loving others. Acceptance, love, forgiveness, mercy, kindness, gentleness, peace and joy are a way we can stand up. Instead of condemning and finger pointing, we can stand up for Jesus by being like Him.
It is so easy for some of us to get on our high horse and start preaching before we even reach out to others with love. Okay let me say this example. How can we preach love to the homeless without first feeding them and sharing our food with them? How can preach forgiveness to the prisoner without forgiving him? How can we preach acceptance to a prostitute without accepting her as a fellow sinner?
I know these are not easy words to grasp but we need to start standing up for Jesus Christ. Now before you all grab your guns and swords and start yelling about going to hell if you're not a believer, let me say what my heart is saying. We can stand up in ways we never dreamed just by loving others. Acceptance, love, forgiveness, mercy, kindness, gentleness, peace and joy are a way we can stand up. Instead of condemning and finger pointing, we can stand up for Jesus by being like Him.
It is so easy for some of us to get on our high horse and start preaching before we even reach out to others with love. Okay let me say this example. How can we preach love to the homeless without first feeding them and sharing our food with them? How can preach forgiveness to the prisoner without forgiving him? How can we preach acceptance to a prostitute without accepting her as a fellow sinner?
I totally understand how uncomfortable it is to stand up for my faith. To me taking a stand doesn't mean putting people in uncomfortable situations. I have friends who are atheists, I know people who are Jehovah Witnesses and some who chose an eastern religion. Does that mean they are not my friends? Does that mean I should not hang with them? Of course not! I love them. I accept them as a friend and I just be the me God made me to be. Taking a stand for my faith does not mean I need to be rude or preachy at them. I do not need to be a religious Pharisee and shun them and put them out of my life. So how do I take a stand for my faith and beliefs among these friends? I show them the love of Jesus.
Maybe I'm wrong, but taking a stand doesn't need contain finger pointing or condemnation. Jesus never finger pointed or spread condemnation to anyone except the highly religious leaders of His time. Sometimes being bold and confident is just allowing someone who believes differently to be loved and feel loved and not judged. "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone". I don't know about you but I am not without sin so I will cast a stone against anyone. However I will stand up, be bold and confident by sharing the love of Jesus Christ with those who do not know Him.
Words are cheap! It is our actions that will truly demonstrate how bold and confident we are in Jesus Christ. So let's take a stand by loving everyone, even those who do not believe as we do.
Lord, help us to love like you love. Help us to stand up by standing out as someone who loves everyone. Give us the boldness and confidence to stand up and share your love everywhere we go and with everyone we meet in Jesus name I pray, amen.
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