Letters from the Beloved: Got Life?
Have you ever heard someone say, “Get a life!”? It typically means that the person saying it has gotten frustrated with the nosiness or interference of someone being too much “in their business”, and implies that if they had things in their own life that took up their time, there would be no time to be a busybody or to live vicariously through another person.
Frankly, there have been times in my life when I thought “I have no life”. The years when my children were young, and I felt that I had no life outside of childcare comes to mind. Sometimes, when we get old and less able to get out without assistance, or have a major illness, or are overworked on the job, we can feel that we don’t have a life. We need friends and family; we need connection to others for our mental and physical health. So, if you are feeling that you don’t have a life, I encourage you to reach out to a family member or friend for a chat or invite someone over for coffee. Another Mom might be very grateful for that – or another lonely single person or shut in.
But if you want real life – an eternal life – you need Jesus.
1 John 5:11-12 [NKJV] 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
I sometimes feel frustrated that Christians focus on the differences in how we worship or believe over the things we have in common. I see Christians posting about their faith and particular beliefs or practices and that is great. I see Christians posting negative things about other Christian denominations, and I often wonder why it seems necessary.
Do we need to prove someone wrong when we don’t even know that person? Could we not just start with what we have in common? Yes, I am sure of my current understanding of the Bible, but I am also looking to grow. I’m open to learning from others.
I just don’t see the benefit of (or really any success in) beginning a conversation by doing the verbal equivalent of poking someone in the chest. But I guess that is the problem with social media. People (even Christians trying – they think – to preach the gospel) believe that they have to stand out, shout a warning, correct and so forth. I’ve got news for you: you are not Elijah. AND he was sent to the people of God, not to the non-believers anyway.
I worry that this is because they don’t have a life in Jesus – one that is truly connected to His message of love and hope and peace. So, they try for a mini war on social media, as if slashing people with the sword of the Spirit is how we were meant to change the world.
1 John 5:13 [NKJV] These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may [continue to] believe in the name of the Son of God.
The armor of God is meant to fight of Satan in my life, NOT to slay non-believers or believers who “don’t know the truth as I do”.
Hebrews 4:12 [NKJV] For the word of God [is] living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Notice that the scripture does not say that the word of God is a sword for slaying non-believers. The scripture does say that we are to divide our souls (human life, not immortal soul) from the Spirit. That is to cut out the human in favor of the divine.
If I have a life in Jesus (and I do), why shouldn’t I start with connection to others who have that same love of Jesus, who know Him to be Savior and Redeemer?
I believe in starting with connection – with what we have in common – and really getting to know someone. Only after I have connected to the parts we have in common can we truly discuss any variances in our understanding or knowledge.
1 John 5:13 [NKJV] These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may [continue to] believe in the name of the Son of God.
If John, the beloved, can choose to focus on belief in Jesus, even when instructing fellow believers with the same knowledge, why can we not do the same with those whose beliefs are somewhat different?
Anything else might come across as being too much in another’s business before you even know them.
The connection that I am suggesting is, of course, a starting point. But, sweet sisters, we will never get the opportunity for anything more if we try to start the conversation with our disconnections instead of our connections.
Can I offer a challenge? Would you join me for the next 7 days in posting messages of life – posts about the love of Jesus, belief in Jesus, gratitude for salvation/His sacrifice, and faith in God. Nothing negative. No differentiators. Nothing about news or politics or things other Christians might do differently. And I don’t mean “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything” like you momma might have told you. The challenge is to proactively and deliberately post positive things. Like me, you may also need to post things for work. I get that. But will you join me in a deliberate attempt to connect on a positive level and put love and hope out there for others to connect with you and to “get a life”?
See how you feel afterwards. And please write to me about that.
I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the chat or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org