Loving one another

I saw Jesus the other day.

You might say, “Wow, George, you saw Jesus? Are you nuts or what?”

Now, now, let me explain.

I looked out my window and saw two ladies from a church here in town planting flowers around the house of the people who live across the street from us. You say, “What’s the big deal?”

The big deal is that the woman who lives in that house has cancer. She is suffering.

In actions of the two women, I saw compassion, I saw caring, and I saw Jesus.

Living the Christian faith is more than “bringing people to church.” Living the Christian faith is “taking the church to people.” Being the followers of Christ He has called us to be.

Howard Hendricks has written, “You can impress people at a distance; you can only impact them up close. The general principle is this: the closer the personal relationship, the greater the potential for impact.”

We come to Christ in relationship. We grow in Christ in relationship. I mean, think about it for a second. Who has had the greatest spiritual impact on your life? Perhaps it was a college professor, a youth pastor, a friend, your spouse, or your parents. Regardless of who it was, you had a relationship with that person.

You knew that they cared about you. You spent time together. You gave them permission, formally or informally, to check up on you.

We really do need each other. That’s why the small groups shown in this issue are so important. Where else can we really, truly and ultimately connect with others but in a setting where we consistently slow down and share each other’s burdens and laugh and cry and encourage one another?

And let me ask you a pointed, personal and perhaps irritating question. Are we spending so much time “doing church” that we forget that we are to “be the church” to those around us?

Perhaps Christ is calling us to simple Christianity. Perhaps the “kiss theory” should come into play here (Keep It Simple Stupid).

Our world and culture is so complex that people are longing, and yes searching for something that is going to simplify their lives. The last thing they need is one more “busy thing to do.”

Jesus knew this. The religious leaders of his day had developed a religious system with 613 laws. They chose the number 613 because that was how many separate letters were in the text containing the Ten Commandments. Enter Jesus. A man comes along and asks, “Which of the commandments is the greatest?” And Jesus basically responds, “Love God and love people.” Simple.

We must continually ask ourselves, “Is what we are doing changing lives?” While greatly appreciated, a lot of what we tag “ministry” in the church is simply “busyness.”

Is God calling us back to the simplicity of the gospel? Of serving? Helping? Encouraging? Relating? Affirming? Restoring? Of loving God and loving people?

We really do need each other.

Let me give you some suggestions.

1. Try a small group. Small groups are not just another ministry in the church. Small groups are the church! Trying a small group doesn’t mean that you are making a commitment for life. Nor will you be asked to “do” anything. It simply means that you are taking the step to not only receive relationship but to give relationship as well.

2. Use Sunday morning connection times. Use the time before, during, and after our Sunday morning gathering to meet people. Connecting with others you know IS important. But do you remember the first time you walked into a social setting not knowing everyone? Some of our most meaningful relationships develop in church lobbies or during our connect and communicate time. Our goal is that everyone who visits us receives some kind of “touch”!

3. Pick up the phone. Write notes of encouragement to people. A phone call will never replace in-person contact, but it can supplement other efforts. A call just to touch base and say hello can be significant (especially to those in your small group).

4. Remember personal crisis. Don’t underestimate the power of your presence with someone during a crisis. It’s called “being there.” Before you ask “what kind of ministry do we have in the church for planting flowers around someone’s house when they are sick,” go and plant flowers. You will never regret it. I always love it when someone says, “George, thanks for being there.”

5. Look for mutual interests. What do you like to do in your spare time? Play golf? Hunt? Shop? Work on your car? Without a doubt, there are people in our church and non-Christians in your sphere of influence who enjoy the same thing. Why not double your efforts? Seek those people, and involve them with you.

6. Admit your own need. Have you learned the value of being in need? You might say, “That’s a funny question.” At times we tell ourselves we have to be in control, and that we can’t admit our needs to others. Yet those times when we need assistance from others are often the times we become the most human. The very time we feel like isolating ourselves from others could be the time we need them the most!

7. Take a scalpel to your schedule. Candidly evaluate the activities that are crowding out your time for people. Make time available for relationships.

Let the simple revolution begin!