You May Declare

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light."  All of us have been charged with the assignment of sharing the Gospel, to be the Spirit-filled ambassador of Christ that the Lord has called us to be. We may struggle with this assignment because we lack the confidence, the passion, or even the know-how to do it. But if Christ is our Savior, then we are His and we have been called for this very purpose. 1 Peter 2:9 NIV

We speak with one voice, offering God's truth in a swirl of worldly lies, whispering hope in the world's self­-destruction.  Every interaction we have throughout the course of a day either builds up our culture or breaks it down. It either blesses other people or burdens them by adding unnecessary drag. Thinking through every interaction engaged in yesterday/today we should ask ourselves which added clutter to a life by adding unnecessary drag to someone else?  This is why we tell people about Jesus. We long for others to know of His love and forgiveness. Resting in the very love and forgiveness of Christ authenticates our witness and gives it vitality. Caring about men and women who have not yet encountered the grace of God will fuel our actions. 

If we waited until we thought we were ready to share the gospel, the mission of God shared through His people would come to a halt.  We cannot wait until we are comfortably ready. We have to accept that we often function awkwardly throughout life—and that is OK. Every new endeavour in life reveals that we are awkward, if we are not awkward some place in our lives, then we are just not growing.  For others, the uncomfortableness may be a result of watching those who shared the gospel abusively. There are those who use the Bible as if it were a club to coerce and bludgeon people to God. Such insensitivity seldom bears kingdom fruit. But if we judged any segment of society by its worst examples, nobody could stand. To cease our witness to the world around us because of negative Christian interactions in an age where abuse or silence is society's accepted option, sharing the gospel with a graceful demeanour affirms the Lord’s message and goes a long way toward healing and reconciliation to God

The [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like the palm tree [be long-lived, stately, upright, useful, and fruitful]; they shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic, stable, durable, and incorruptible]. Planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God. [Growing in grace] they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap [of spiritual vitality] and [rich in the] verdure [of trust, love, and contentment]. [They are living memorials] to show that the Lord is upright and faithful to His promises; He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. [Rom. 9:14.] Psalm 92:12-15 AMPC

God placed you in the community that you live in so that you can be a blessing there. Many of us are waiting for our marching orders but they have already been given. We’re standing at attention waiting to be commissioned, while the earth keeps spinning and we’re missing opportunities in front of us each day. 

The marching orders have already been given and we need to respond appropriately. To many, making disciples is the task of the professional pastor, but it is really the mission for the believer. Making disciples is simply using our daily interactions, to pour into someone else so that they meet and respond to Jesus’ invitation to abundant life. So, as we are going to the grocery store, make disciples. As we walk your dog around the block, make disciples. When daily routines start up again let’s keep our ears, eyes and hearts open to Holy Spirit’s showing us who to pray for, who to share a kind word with. As we pick up our kids from school, make disciples. As we work at our jobs, make disciples. 

God has placed us in our neighbourhoods, towns, villages and cities for a reason. He has revealed His great love to each of us and He has already orchestrated great relationships for us to invest our time and prayers. Now it’s time to put some of this into very intentional practice.  Here are some simple ideas for community living that do not have to be overthought or extravagantly planned:

1. Invite the neighbours on your block over for a BBQ;

2. If you notice someone moving in, bring them cookies or a pizza;

3. Pick up some potted flowers and plant them in an empty garden patch:

4. Perform a random act of kindness. Mow someone’s lawn, move their trash bins, shovel the snow off their sidewalk;

5. When someone tells you they have a job interview, a test, a doctor’s appointment, mark it on your calendar. Follow up with them and let them know that you’ve been praying; 

6. Help someone carry heavy groceries to their door;

7. Get involved with a local church and a community group;

8. Spend more time outside. It’s amazing what can happen if you are just present and people are out for a walk and see you say hello;

9. Take a prayer walk around your neighbourhood, praying for your neighbours. 

There is no better way to put it. God fills our heart with a burden and a passion to act on behalf of His people. Therefore where we are residing at any given season in our lives is where God has planted us. He may move us to another location. He may not.  Many of us will have the most kingdom impact, growing old, by the Lord’s grace, holding His lantern in a town needing His light. Embrace the commission. There is no choosing to live through the Spirit of God without choosing to be changed by Holy Spirit. The way we speak, the way we act, even the way we feel, these things must shift as we change from relying on our own strengths to leaning on the strength of God. Our naturally selfish ambitions, even when cast through the lens of good intention, have to begin to fall away as they have been crucified with Christ.

Let us seek to approach and act out our daily lives with kindness, compassion and humility, having accepted that the fruit of the Spirit is beyond what we could accomplish alone, and it’s through Jesus Christ that we are empowered with purpose. Planted. Rooted.