The Lord is really stirring something within me. I’ve been burdened with the revelation of how separated the church is from the community. And I can not exclude myself, by any means, from that equation. I’ve had this lackluster view on reaching out to the people of this world. If we are being real, it basically boils down to self-absorption. It’s not that I’ve been blatantly rude to outsiders of the body of Christ; it’s that I’ve been satisfied with remaining unaware. I feel like the “saved” and the “unsaved” have been separately categorized all my life.. even in common language by using “they” and “them” when mentioning people who aren’t in relationship with the Father. That automatically puts a barrier between us. We are all people. We are all people with whom the Father has given us the grace of accepting life eternally with Him. It’s just that some of us who have acknowledged that grace have decided to hoard it.
But if we really had a revelation of the grace we were accepting, wouldn’t it have the opposite effect on us? This truth of the Father is not in anyway something that can be kept hidden if it is understood correctly. And all my life, I’ve been a hoarder. Yes, it is great to get completely whacked out in the Holy Ghost, to laugh in the Spirit, and to have a great time in worship. But it is also great (and part of our commitment) to expand the Kingdom of God. I acknowledge that I haven’t pulled my weight. The Lord has really been opening my heart to see the realness of this hurting world, and He’s starting to confront me on why I’m okay with sharing the same air with people who I won’t share the Kingdom with. I’ve just been existing next to people who I should be coexisting with, in community with, and in relationship with.
I am ignoring my neighbor. I am ignoring the homeless. I am ignoring the alcoholic. I am ignoring the suicidal. But really, this also means that I’m ignoring Jesus.
How long will I be satisfied with my own fulfillment and disregard another of God’s children? Selfishness has no place in the Kingdom of God. If you love God, you love your brother. I guess this proves not many of us love God.
I’m on a journey to change all of that this semester. It is a process. It’s not something that can come over night although with His new mercies every morning I shall be learning often. I think that with this change in perspective it is also smart that other changes will follow suit in my life, some of which I will go ahead and do myself before the Lord corrects me on them. I’m in transition – again – but I find forward motion better than stagnant disillusionment. Here we go!