The idea of distinguishing oneself has been something that I've wanted to share on this blog for a while now and it comes back to some pondering that I've done to when I was a student in High School.
When I was in High School, I remember thinking long and hard about this very idea; I would think about the things that would set me apart from the rest of the people in my class, as well as the others at large in my school. I knew that there were obvious differences, but I would take quite a bit of time and intention in trying to set myself apart from the actions and ideas of many of the students around me.
The question is normally used to distinguish specific attributes about oneself: I am a ______________.
For me the question could be answered with a number of different things, but I come back to big one; that I am, first and foremost before any specific attribute that I associate and use to distinguish myself, a believer in Jesus Christ. I am a Christian and that statement is the most important statement that I feel someone who meets me needs to know.
My relationship with Christ is the most important thing in my life. Yet, when I've stated in the past that this is the case, I've had many individuals say to me, "Of course that is. You're a minister." That simple statement is one of the most frustrating things in the world to me; the implication being for some that as a minister that is a priority, but not the same when it comes to other people and how they live their lives.
Maybe when I was in High School, my reasoning came back to morality. I made it a priority to be different because I wanted to live my life right. I didn't get into fights; I didn't steal from my Mother; I didn't drink; I didn't do these things because I wanted to be looked at as a good person. But when I think about that concept, that is to be looked at as a good person, and when I think about the words in scripture, I recognize that although we should all prioritize living right and making great choices, we don't do this at the expense of sharing the Gospel.
Just because I am a minister doesn't mean that my obligation is greater than others in sharing Christ; it just means that my priority is being an intentional help to others on the journey with me.
I don't see the difference when it comes to the lives that we live as believers in Jesus Christ, no matter what our occupation. I don't see examples in scripture of passivity or a degree of responsibilities when it comes to our being Christ-based on the job that we have or in the lot that we have in life. In fact, I see quite an opposite. Passages like Galatians 2:20, which states:
Or Matthew 22:37-39, in which Jesus himself says:
These passages aren't calling for that idea of "passivity;" they are calling for people to stand out from the crowd and to stand up for Christ. They are calling for people to step out of the realm of fear of offending others and into the recognition that people need to hear the word of God. They are calling for people to shift from the routine to stepping out into the extraordinary.
Obviously there are challenges and there are instances where one cannot publicly minister and share faith in settings because of the situations involved, and yet in these situations, we can prioritize the way that we are in conversation, actions, responses, etc., and live in all of these ways with Christ in focus.
I guess my main goal in this is to emphasize this statement: All are called-- plain and simple.
No matter where we find ourselves, if we call ourselves Christians and believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, it needs to be our priority to end the passivity and to be public, bold, blatant, and obvious lights for him. We cannot afford to be silent when the people around us desperately need to hear the good news found in a relationship with Christ. It needs to be number one. It needs to be our lifestyle. It needs to start now.
Let us commit to this. Let us commit to standing up and working towards being better witnesses, towards being better examples. Let us commit to praying more for opportunities to love, to share, and to uplift and encourage. Let us commit to seeking the Lord's will for what He has for us and for our families. Let us commit to being the biggest lights for Christ that we can be.
I thank you for reading this post. I know that it may seem a little intense, but this has been on my heart and I felt that this is what I needed to share this week. I want to close this post with this verse: Proverbs 3:5-6
Thank you again for reading and as always, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below or drop me a line on Facebook/Twitter: @solidschultz! God bless you!
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