He told me to tell you that
Iwas reading about a woman’s group that meets via a church in Chicago, the group is called Connections. A woman named Lori had just lost her 20-year-old son who had collapsed on a basketball court and could not be revived.
Lori got involved with this group that offers spiritual support, encouragement and growth in Christ. Lori’s testimony is “Connections changed my life.” That’s the business we are in—changing lives. Changed lives, change lives.
I was with a group of men the other day. It’s a good group, they all love Jesus and they love him a lot and the question was shared, “Who has discipled you?” Last time I checked that was the mandate on the church, “To go and make disciples of everyone (Matthew 28:19).” The church tends to think of discipleship as a program or a place where discipleship happens.
Bob Goff says, “Lots of time we are looking for a plan and God sends a person.” That would be my testimony. A lot of people starting with my parents have invested in my spiritual life and God working in and through these people have changed my life.
Some of you reading this have changed my life and you probably didn’t even know it —BTW, thanks for being a city on a hill, salt and a light (Matthew 5:14).
We all have influence but do we spend it for the negative or the positive? There have been those people too who were a stumbling block. I have to own my part—but I think you understand.
There’s a story in Luke 9 about a Pharisee and he prays that he is glad he is not like the tax collector. Most of the time we understand the point that the humility of the big time sinning tax collector made him right in the eyes of God versus the prayer of pride offered by the religious leader—and yet being glad we are not like some people is good thing, right?
What I’m saying is, I’m glad I’m not like some people (was that ugly). What I’m really trying to say is what Jesus said, “What good is salt if it loses its saltiness and what good is a light placed under a covering.” I don’t ever want to be that guy and, Lord, forgive me when I am.
Some of these big time Christians that blessed me did so in a formal relationship where we used a book, a pen and paper. Others loved on me more organically over coffee while they did not criticize me.
Later I would get “it” without any, “I told you so.” Thanks to all the patient people who have been like Jesus to me, loving me where I was but loving me enough not to leave me where I was.
He told me to share that.
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