Befriend

I've been reading through a book by Andy Stanley, called 'Deep & Wide.' It's about "Creating churches unchurched people love to attend." So far it is a very good, and insightful book about what should be at the heart of our churches. But it has created a bit of uneasiness in my heart and mind. It's caused me to contemplate a nagging question.

"Am I the kind of person unchurched people love to befriend?"

It's not an easy question, or an easy answer. It gets down into the dirty world of my life, and how I live it. My personality, my desires, my perspectives. It forces me to contemplate whether or not my knowledge of God and all which He has done for me, has transformed to action.

I find it easy, in reflecting on questions like these, to sort of mentally chew myself out, for not being better, or doing more. This is not healthy, or beneficial. Instead I'm learning(slowly), to take note of why and how I was failing, and use that information as ammunition for growing beyond my failure.

The only way we are able to be the kind of person unchurched people love to befriend, is to rely wholly on what Jesus Christ has done for us, and is working in and through us. Jesus died, paying the price for our sins, and taking all the wrath of God against our sin for us. Not just most of God's wrath. All of it. Then He rose again, in so doing, declaring He overcame death for us. This gives us life in Him. Out of this knowledge, this freedom, this peace, we are enabled to live in such a way others love to befriend us.

Remember what Christ did. Remember where you've been. Reflect on what Christ is doing. Reflect on how you can live in light of those three things.

Are you the kind of person unchurched people love to befriend?