Last Saturday morning, as I was walking to school, I was listening to a Francis Chan podcast titled "Christ Centered Relationships". I'm a big fan of Francis Chan, and have been listening to his podcasts since I saw him at Passion 07. I really got slapped in the face by something during this message though, by something that I don't think was really intended to be part of the sermon.
He's telling a story about a conference he was just speaking at. After he spoke, he had several youth pastor's coming up to him telling him stories of some of the students they brought with him. One of the students was a boy that the pastor said he "snuck in". The boy was too young to be at the conference, but the pastor really wanted him there. A year before the conference, the boy found the body of his father who had just commited suicide. Two weeks prior to the conference, while at a family function, that same boy watched his mother be pulled off of his little brothers as she was stabbing them, and then watched her kill herself. Thinking back now, I dont even remember why he told this story. All day I kept thinking about that boy. I hear these tragic stories all the time and just hear them as stories, and forget that these are real people. That boy is still living and breathing right now (or is he?) dealing with where his parents have left him. I prayed for that boy all day. I still pray for that boy everytime I think about him. It frusterates me that I don't know who he is. I want to find him and help him and establish a relationship with him, and just be there for him.
I think this is a common theme though. All too often when someone I know is dealing with something I'm quick to offer prayers, but not quick to offer my time and my friendship. I also feel like after I think that their problem is sufficiently resolved, my job is done. Then I think back to that boy, I'm sure that he has Christians establishing friendships with him, but where does that excuse stop? At what point do I take responsiblity and iniative to be Christ in people's lives? Did God only allocate the people I work with as my responsibility? My family? My church? My neighborhood?
There's so many people in this world, and we all need Jesus. Who's job is it to spread the word, and to whom do we spread it?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
You are not alone. All the time I think I should, I can, I will and then...nothing. I justify it by thinking I couldn't possibly be the only person with the same thoughts and prayers and one of them will most likely step up, so why me? I recently (in the last 6 mos.) started writing this girl in prison in Bali. I am not great at it, I wish I was better, but I am trying and I think that counts for something in God's eyes. Trying to establish that relationship is so important because that is how the whole world is connected and that let's others know that they are not alone. So maybe you don't have to go into things thinking it's all or nothing, maybe just a simple effort will make all the difference in someone else's life and the impact on your life will be immense. Don't carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. Jesus put you in the lives of the people your surrounded by on purpose, so yeah be Christ in their lives but don't limit yourself if you feel drawn to someone completely out of your realm.
ReplyDeleteAwesome thoughts Katie! Thanks for sharing. I'd like to hear more about the girl in Bali sometime. You've offered me a little bit of peace on this topic. I need to recognize, cherish, and improve all of the relationships that God has already blessed me with and keep my eyes open for the opportunities in which God will bless me new people to create relationships with! I'm very thankful for the relationship God gave me in you, Pieter, and Lucy! You guys are awesome.
ReplyDelete