A few days ago I had a conversation I want to share with you.
I had met a woman and she was seeking something in her life. She described it as an uncomfortable feeling and she wasn’t sure what to do with these emotions she had.
She wanted to know God.
She wanted to know the Church.
She wanted to have authentic relationships centered around love.
But the next few words that stumbled out of her mouth didn’t surprise me:
“Nicki, just seems like everyone in the Church has got these motives that just make me sick. I feel judged, like people just want my money and I feel so guilty about my whole life every time I walk into the Church. I just always feel like there’s a “catch” with God.”
I have to be honest, I didn’t exactly know how to respond to this statement. But I had recently read an article that said when people are trying to work things out for themselves you should do 90% of the listening and 10% of the talking.
Pretty sure I had exceeded the 10% of this conversation –so I kept my mouth shut.
I listened.
I tried to put myself in her position.
And sadly…I understood.
There are many people in the Church who have ill motives. It is all about a book sale, a platform, twitter followers, money and fame. For some, being apart of the Church is a to-do type thing.
I think though, there’s a question we need to be asking ourselves as followers of Christ.
How far am I willing to go for the gospel?
And I don’t mean mileage-far.
I mean: uncomfortable, suck-up-my-pride, let people see the real me, keeping my mouth shut, giving to never to receive, thinking the best of everyone, saying sorry even if I wasn’t wrong, putting others first, humbling myself, using what God has given me wisely and giving up everything I have FAR.
So during this conversation I started taking inventory.
How far was I willing to go in that moment to allow her to see Jesus?
I gave up my words. I gave up my apologies for the body of Christ. I gave up my busy life that just wanted to move to the “next thing”. I gave up my judgments of her –whether right or wrong.
I gave everything I was in those defining moments and said, “Jesus, just let her see you.”
Because a beautiful thing happens when people just see Jesus.
It reminds me of this verse in Proverbs:
“If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed.” -Prov 29:18
I don’t know what my new friend is up to today. I don’t know where her heart is. I don’t know if she has made peace with her feelings of being uncomfortable.
But I know this: she was an incredible teacher that day.
She taught me the beauty of letting myself go far in order that Jesus might be revealed to her.
No, nothing profound was said off my tongue. There were no bold statements of faith or beautifully spoken words.
Just Jesus.
And I cannot help but think of what the impact of that name would be on this world if we were always willing to go…that far.
6 Comments
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Thank you for the reminder this morning. Ouch. I needed that. 🙂 Thanks for allowing God to use you.
Love you my friend. 🙂
Special to read how we all can inspire eachother on our own way. Because of my ‘young’ relation with God I usually choose for saying nothing, because it can be stupid. I must let it go and this blog makes me clear again that on my own way I am even able to give someone else something I can’t even imagine. Great!
Thank you for sharing these precious words today Nicki. This really inspired me to Stop trying to say profound things whenever my friends come to me broken, looking for answers.
All we really need is Jesus.
Nicki, this really spoke to me, “when people are trying to work things out for themselves you should do 90% of the listening and 10% of the talking.” I think that statement was meant for me. I’m taking on new responsibilities in my ministry and I have been feeling overwhelmed. I think God is telling me to just be quiet and listen to Him. I know that statement was just a small part of your post and probably not your main point, but it spoke to me. Thanks!
Nicki, I have to say there was a time I felt this same way. I can see how your friend would feel the way she did, been there, felt that way and can SO relate. I have found that can be true, sadly, in some places. I have also found there can be amazing people who do reflect the light, hands and feet of Jesus, even though they are inperfect and human. Notice how I said human. We all have issues, hangups, etc., but I do agree that we are not always willing to reach out far. We do need to stop thinking so much ourselves and start being others focused. Even if it is INCONVIENT. Even if it is UNCOMMON. We are called to be uncommon.
Thanks Nicki!
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