i read an article earlier today that posed the question...when people look at us, do they see Jesus? i began to wonder about my answer...really what do they see when they look at me? what did the folks from Jesus' culture see when they looked at him? did they see someone relevant to their culture? did he dress like them? did he talk like them? did he speak their language? did he spend time in their comfort arenas? did he allow himself to be inconvenienced?
so...when people look at us....do they see compassion? hope? strength? joy? peace? ... or do they see judgement? condemnation? apathy? indifference?
i once heard another pastor say...we are God's display window to the world...the world all around is window shopping...when they look in our window what do they see?
think about it!
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Now you know men are not very good window shoppers (at least not this one). I have to touch, see the thing up close or even smell it. I want to really know something I am buying (i.e. relationships). However, window shopping is first impression - folks in the city get paid pretty good to stage those windows so it appeals to the senses of "first impression" - usually what is seen from a distance. One other consideration is pre-conceived notions. There are certain expectations of some store windows over others. If you are walking by dollar general and Macy's you would have a pre-conceived notion of what to expect, right? Much is the same with people we come in contact with. If they hear you are a minister, most people will not challenge you, they will cower into someone else who is not the real "them". Or, those who challenge will do anything to make you say something against your convictions and more towards theirs. Or let's get a bit more personal - the church. Many times in my experiences with church "family" there is jealosy, envy, and yes, hatred,which clouds the "Spirit" inside another Christian. Right now in my mother's church there are Christians hating other Christians to vie for position in the church. They cut one another down, have secret meetings and have disjointed communications between fellow "believers" which causes confusion and conflict among the body. So what you see are a group of worn out and beaten-down parts of the Body of Christ who are tired,and because of the battle, have difficulty emulating a Christ-like nature. Frankly, i'm sick of "church". I've seen too much confict, too much back-stabbing, and too much of "talking out of both sides of the mouth". And there are days I have real difficulty taking up my cross. On the other side of the coin, I believe you can ask anyone in my circle outside of church and they will say more than "oh, he's a good guy" - they will say "He is a man of God". So, dispite the difficulties of dealing with the aching arthritis of the Body of Chirst - the Spirit within me can rise up and conquer those fleshly whims within. I've really been excercising my humbleness nature over the past six weeks - it's a muscle that aches often, but pretty soon, i'm hoping to see a "six-pack" in the mirror :)
You know I have always heard that he was nondescript, uncommon. you wouldn't know him in a crowd. So if his appearance was nothing special you would only know his actions.
Which are all listed in his book.
I agree with digdug on the whole "church" thing. Most come than go, I have closer friends "outside church". mostly I think because we talk, hang-out, and share each others lives. Unless you talk to the right person or go at the right time you cant even get someone to pray with you.
you know "excellence" and the whole first impression thing (window shopping) go hand in hand...whether you're a window shopper or not you still look in every display window as you walk by the in the mall...and what you see dictates your judgement of that store...oh,i think i'd like to go in and check that store out...or man, i'd never go in there...know what i mean?
so what i'm asking is what do people see when they look at us?
i guess at times i get sick of what we have made church too...but that's because of what we've made it...but as far as God's purpose and design goes i love church...i love the idea of believers uniting together in purpose and unity to pursue God's call and great commission... and I guess I believe that it can still happen...no, not guess...i really do believe it can and will happen...
do you feel like those things that make you sick of church are paramount in your current experience?
i think it is great to have significant relationships and friendships with those outside the walls of the church...i believe those relationships and many acts of kindness is what will lead others to Christ...the Bible says something about kindess leading to repentance....
i think the relationship and friendship problem inside the church has to do with our sizing each other up and comparing ourselves and our spirituality to one another? we've just got to stop that...it is our kind acts to one another that will also cause others to see...i think the Bible says something about them knowing we are Christ-followers by our love (kindness) for one another...
sounds to me like kindness is a primetime ingredient to the church's relevance to the world?
Hey anonymous, not sure if Jesus was not noticable in a crowd. All through the ministry of Jesus, people would pick Him out of a crowd - no a MULTITUDE, like the woman in Matthew 9 who pushed through a crowd to touch his garmet to be healed of her 12 year "issue of blood". Furthermore, if you have ever been to Florida and saw the citrus crop there, or maybe to the NC mountains where the apple trees and grape orchards are abundant - fruit trees and vines are noticeable and distinguished from other trees - because of the fruit hanging from the branches. Matthew 7:20 states "Therefore by their fruits you will know them." I think the practicing Christian is known in a crowd - there is something about that person that sets them apart from the multitudes.
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