November 12, 2018
No Way! That Makes Me Feel Nervous
Gwen Smith
Today’s Truth
For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. (John 6:38, ESV)
Friend to Friend
Growing up we played silly games. Fun games that connected strands of strangers and tethered them to a specific time and place with a memory. One of those was the cookie jar game.
It’s probably more of a chanty thing. You remember.
Crowd: “Amy stole the cookie from the cookie jar!”
Amy: “Who me?”
Crowd: “Yeah, you!”
Amy: “Couldn’t be!”
Crowd: “Then who?”
Amy: “Elise!”
Crowd {redirected}: “Elise stole the cookie from the cookie jar!” … and the game went on to never really gather the cookies that were stolen. Who thinks these things up? Why can’t we just pass around the cookies and eat them with milk instead? I hear your “Amen.”
Sometimes I think that those of us who are Jesus lovers play the cookie game with the Great Commission.
Jesus Lovers: “Susan, tell the world that the Lord is good!”
Susan: “Who me?”
Jesus Lovers: “Yeah, you!”
Susan: “Couldn’t be!”
Jesus Lovers: “Then who?”
Susan points to another Christian who she thinks has less kinks in her armor. “Tara!”
And the game goes on, but the directive to be a witness for Jesus Christ does not. It is sharply cut off and redirected at the “Who me?”
I play games and pass up opportunities to influence others toward Christ all the time. I bow out from repping Him to the world… or to that friend, volleyball mom, neighbor, family member, or co-worker who is in desperate need of His grace. Why? Because I like my comfort. It’s fluffy and I’m shallow like that far too often.
It’s not such a silly game when eternal matters are on the line, is it?
It’s a sad game.
One that I need to stop playing.
One that we all need to stop playing.
I can almost hear you whispering to me in hushed tones. I am all about Jesus, Gwen. Love that guy! I totally dig His grace, love, forgiveness, and peace. Oh… and His comfort! Love His comfort. Love the epic lay-down-your-life and rise-again Easter thing. BUT don’t ask me to go talking about Him or anything. I just can’t. My life is complicated. I don’t know enough about the Bible. My marriage is on the fritz, I’m unemployed, and my kids are total prodigals, I can’t possibly be used by God to do holy stuff.
If we are being honest, I think all of us would agree that faith in Christ would be a whole lot more comfortable without that scary witnessing thing. Am I right?
It is essential that we be motivated beyond us. And this does not mean you need to start handing out Bible tracks on street corners or leaving them with a tip at the next restaurant you go to like your uncle Bob does.
It means that we need to want what Jesus wants. To do what Jesus did.
Jesus was all about doing the will of the Father. “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” (John 6:38, ESV)
Beyond that, for you and me to do the will of the Father we need to want to do the stuff that Jesus wants us to do. See? It’s one of those pesky heart-matter items.
And He told His followers what He wants us to do just prior to His ascension. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, AND YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8, emphasis mine) Replace the word you in that last sentence with your name.
{Your name} will be His witness. {Your name} will be given opportunities to influence others toward Jesus.
Nervous yet?
Don’t be. The call to be a witness might seem intimidating, but remember, those words rolled directly off the loving lips of Jesus and He would never ask you to do anything that He wasn’t going to help you with! Besides, He doesn’t really have any glowing candidates of perfection to call up. We are all just fumbling fools who fall more frequently than we’d like to admit.
You are qualified because of your Messiah, not because of your mess. {Tweet this!}
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)
Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, You are good. It is my greatest joy to worship You. Please help my worship to spill over in all areas of life. Give me courage to do what You have created me to do. Empower me to help others see You and to point them in Your direction so those around me can find the hope they are desperate for.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Have you ever played the cookie jar game with the great commission? What is ONE THING you can do today to be a witness for Jesus? Visit my blog or send me a direct message on Instagram and tell me your one thing. {I love to hear from you!}
More from the Girlfriends
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Originally published Monday, 12 November 2018.
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