I went to bible study last Wednesday and took part in a great discussion about secrecy and confession. It's always pretty cool to be in a room full of people, talking about the Word. It's challenging and forces me to get my act together, so to speak. This meeting was only one part of a mini-series of spiritual disciplines in a larger series, "Conforming to God's Image." It's going really well, challenging us to take an honest look at ourselves and conform to his image, 'dying to ourselves' daily. A part of the discussion struck me, though, and I was left speechless for the rest of the meeting.
We were talking about being inviting and transparent (salt and light wasn't mentioned, but the concept was on my mind the whole time) for others to confess to us. In this discussion, we're talking about secrecy as a tool for closeness with God. The idea is that it teaches us anonymity and frees us from the bondage of the opinions of others. We seek God's approval, regardless of the world's view. Being a light in this aspect, to me, is being trustworthy. We don't need to spill everything. This plays a key role in witnessing and ministering to people, believers and unbelievers alike. Why? Confession is important. It frees us from the burden of hidden sin and these "secrets, failures, and weaknesses lose their power by virtue of being exposed." Confession is good our souls. We are distracted by our sin and can create a barrier between us and God. With that in mind, I think it's crucial for us as believers to pursue God and his light so that we may reflect and others can be drawn to him.
So, why is it that so many people have adopted such a self-righteous attitude toward witnessing? Have we forgotten that we were once in sin and had to be saved from ourselves? Sometimes, I wonder about people in the Church. Don't you know that the Holy Spirit had to minister to you to bring you out and that you, too, have fallen short? Perhaps, I'm making a bigger deal of this than I should. But I don't think so. I suppose, I'm thinking in terms of my own confession and salvation. I was desperate and hurting and I felt so alone and I needed someone to be transparent and nonjudgmental and loving and kind to me and when I finally found someone who was, it made all the difference.
I look at us, sometimes, as vessels not just to receive but also to give. We don't just give to other people. We also give to God. *Now, each person we encourage to follow Christ is not our gift to him. We didn't create them, so...* If I am a cup, filled with the love of God, I should also be brimming with people that I am nudging toward his love. I love analogies, so here's another one. If we are mirrors, we should always be tilted at an angle (no matter the direction per se) that allows us to reflect the light of Jesus in everything we do. So, if I am witnessing to someone, I should reflect his love and kindness and grace; not just his confidence in God.
Ephesians 2:8-10:
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
It just pains me to see people in the Body with such self-righteous attitudes. We've all heard sayings like, 'you might be the only example of Christ's love that some people get to experience.' I think it's true. Some of us have access to people who desperately need to hear and see God's love for them. But when stop giving the love and kindness and grace and patience that we receive, we help to create a barrier between that person and God's heart. It's painful for me because when I didn't know how to reach God on my own and needed guidance and someone to be patience and loving toward me, it seemed like so many people were busy and too high and mighty to be light in my life. I just don't like seeing other people going through what I went through and what I am going through.
As believers, we should reflect the love and light of Jesus. Part of his love for us was/is not wanting others to endure what he did. This is already too long. Guys, don't forget where we've all come from. You will never have reached a place that is too high for assignment and mission and witness. At the same time, you will never have reached a place that is too low for God's love and redemption. Open your heart, not just for own sake, but for someone else as well. I guarantee that someone had to do it for you.
We were talking about being inviting and transparent (salt and light wasn't mentioned, but the concept was on my mind the whole time) for others to confess to us. In this discussion, we're talking about secrecy as a tool for closeness with God. The idea is that it teaches us anonymity and frees us from the bondage of the opinions of others. We seek God's approval, regardless of the world's view. Being a light in this aspect, to me, is being trustworthy. We don't need to spill everything. This plays a key role in witnessing and ministering to people, believers and unbelievers alike. Why? Confession is important. It frees us from the burden of hidden sin and these "secrets, failures, and weaknesses lose their power by virtue of being exposed." Confession is good our souls. We are distracted by our sin and can create a barrier between us and God. With that in mind, I think it's crucial for us as believers to pursue God and his light so that we may reflect and others can be drawn to him.
So, why is it that so many people have adopted such a self-righteous attitude toward witnessing? Have we forgotten that we were once in sin and had to be saved from ourselves? Sometimes, I wonder about people in the Church. Don't you know that the Holy Spirit had to minister to you to bring you out and that you, too, have fallen short? Perhaps, I'm making a bigger deal of this than I should. But I don't think so. I suppose, I'm thinking in terms of my own confession and salvation. I was desperate and hurting and I felt so alone and I needed someone to be transparent and nonjudgmental and loving and kind to me and when I finally found someone who was, it made all the difference.
I look at us, sometimes, as vessels not just to receive but also to give. We don't just give to other people. We also give to God. *Now, each person we encourage to follow Christ is not our gift to him. We didn't create them, so...* If I am a cup, filled with the love of God, I should also be brimming with people that I am nudging toward his love. I love analogies, so here's another one. If we are mirrors, we should always be tilted at an angle (no matter the direction per se) that allows us to reflect the light of Jesus in everything we do. So, if I am witnessing to someone, I should reflect his love and kindness and grace; not just his confidence in God.
Ephesians 2:8-10:
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
It just pains me to see people in the Body with such self-righteous attitudes. We've all heard sayings like, 'you might be the only example of Christ's love that some people get to experience.' I think it's true. Some of us have access to people who desperately need to hear and see God's love for them. But when stop giving the love and kindness and grace and patience that we receive, we help to create a barrier between that person and God's heart. It's painful for me because when I didn't know how to reach God on my own and needed guidance and someone to be patience and loving toward me, it seemed like so many people were busy and too high and mighty to be light in my life. I just don't like seeing other people going through what I went through and what I am going through.
As believers, we should reflect the love and light of Jesus. Part of his love for us was/is not wanting others to endure what he did. This is already too long. Guys, don't forget where we've all come from. You will never have reached a place that is too high for assignment and mission and witness. At the same time, you will never have reached a place that is too low for God's love and redemption. Open your heart, not just for own sake, but for someone else as well. I guarantee that someone had to do it for you.
UPDATE: I figured out why it bothered me so much. A lot of times we pray for people by pointing the finger at them (I.e. 'God, can you ... 'cause ...') and if we would focus on God's work in us, we'd see that just because we don't do that one specific thing doesn't mean that we aren't doing other things that offend God. The Holy Spirit was convicting me. It made me look inward and ask the mirror, 'do my offenses make people see me this way?' We all fall short, so there must be things about me that can still be changed and improved upon.
God, show me the things about myself that offend you. And purge me of them. I want to live pleasing to you. Maybe, I don't offend you in the way that they do, but whatever way I do, help me. Amen.
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