It's the 11th day of Lent (remember, Lent does not include Sundays in its numbering).
As I read through the two books I'm immersed in this Lenten season (that is, besides my own book which I also read devotionally each morning), I'm struck by the way in which they serve as mirrors to each other and provoke me to think more clearly about how to live in such a way that I can have impact on the world around me.
First of all, impact is another way of saying what Peter says in his first letter that I have addressed before:
1 Peter 3:15-16
15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
Giving a defense does not mean argumentativeness. It also does not mean its always to unbelievers since some of the ways in which we give a defense is to those who have faith in Christ but are struggling with doubts, confusion-the wrestlings of life.
Giving a defense might be best done in the context of home, family, marriage and parenting. I know of too many families in which children walked away from the faith their parents had embraced.
There are myriads of reasons for these sorts of things to happen; but it nevertheless remains a principle that we must keep "in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy...always be prepared to make a defense...yet do it with gentleness and respect."
We must make it clear that the power of the Gospel is that God by his Spirit penetrates the darkness and brings light to all who receive His grace. We meet people - even family - where they are at, not where we think they ought to be.
I don't struggle with people who have doubts. It seems obvious from scripture that Jesus quite frequently had to deal with people's doubts - even those close to him.
John 20:24-25
24 Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
To be human is to doubt. It should not dismay us that our loved ones, those closest to us, often go through seasons of questions. I say seasons as it's obvious from the text that Jesus left Thomas hang on to his questions, doubts, fears for a full eight days.
John 20:26-29
26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”
28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus was willing to allow Thomas to doubt and then to help him "see" what really was the truth that he could not see. Jesus didn't leave Thomas to unbelief - sort of a "Well, if you don't believe than that's your problem" approach. Instead he comes back to help him understand what he could not conceive. Then Jesus adds:
John 20:29
29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Jesus was always willing to help those who were honest in their questions to see the ultimate truth of his goodness and grace. It strikes me that we need to remember that today. We meet those people - and they are often in the church - who are struggling to understand. When we throw scripture at them in the fashion of a spiritual machine gun, we do little to help them...in fact I've met too many people who were turned off, and turned away as a result.
In times like these, our defense presented is best done with gentleness and respect.
Our goal is not to solve their problems, but instead to lead them to the one person who knows what they do not know - and I might add, what we don't know also. Jesus is the one who is "full of grace and truth" and it is a wise person who remembers that.
I might add, a wise person once told me: "when you are in those places of doubt, believe your beliefs and doubt your doubts." This is how our knowledge grows. We keep the process of learning going through questioning, seeking, discovering, learning, listening, inquiry. It is the adventure of a learner, which by the way, I remind you is the definition of a Disciple.
Peace
As I read through the two books I'm immersed in this Lenten season (that is, besides my own book which I also read devotionally each morning), I'm struck by the way in which they serve as mirrors to each other and provoke me to think more clearly about how to live in such a way that I can have impact on the world around me.
First of all, impact is another way of saying what Peter says in his first letter that I have addressed before:
1 Peter 3:15-16
15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
Giving a defense does not mean argumentativeness. It also does not mean its always to unbelievers since some of the ways in which we give a defense is to those who have faith in Christ but are struggling with doubts, confusion-the wrestlings of life.
Giving a defense might be best done in the context of home, family, marriage and parenting. I know of too many families in which children walked away from the faith their parents had embraced.
There are myriads of reasons for these sorts of things to happen; but it nevertheless remains a principle that we must keep "in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy...always be prepared to make a defense...yet do it with gentleness and respect."
We must make it clear that the power of the Gospel is that God by his Spirit penetrates the darkness and brings light to all who receive His grace. We meet people - even family - where they are at, not where we think they ought to be.
I don't struggle with people who have doubts. It seems obvious from scripture that Jesus quite frequently had to deal with people's doubts - even those close to him.
John 20:24-25
24 Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
To be human is to doubt. It should not dismay us that our loved ones, those closest to us, often go through seasons of questions. I say seasons as it's obvious from the text that Jesus left Thomas hang on to his questions, doubts, fears for a full eight days.
John 20:26-29
26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”
28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus was willing to allow Thomas to doubt and then to help him "see" what really was the truth that he could not see. Jesus didn't leave Thomas to unbelief - sort of a "Well, if you don't believe than that's your problem" approach. Instead he comes back to help him understand what he could not conceive. Then Jesus adds:
John 20:29
29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Jesus was always willing to help those who were honest in their questions to see the ultimate truth of his goodness and grace. It strikes me that we need to remember that today. We meet those people - and they are often in the church - who are struggling to understand. When we throw scripture at them in the fashion of a spiritual machine gun, we do little to help them...in fact I've met too many people who were turned off, and turned away as a result.
In times like these, our defense presented is best done with gentleness and respect.
Our goal is not to solve their problems, but instead to lead them to the one person who knows what they do not know - and I might add, what we don't know also. Jesus is the one who is "full of grace and truth" and it is a wise person who remembers that.
I might add, a wise person once told me: "when you are in those places of doubt, believe your beliefs and doubt your doubts." This is how our knowledge grows. We keep the process of learning going through questioning, seeking, discovering, learning, listening, inquiry. It is the adventure of a learner, which by the way, I remind you is the definition of a Disciple.
Peace
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