There is something frightening and yet so beautiful about God using humans to do His advertising for Him. God has called of us as Christ Followers to proclaim His freedom, grace, and love. The gentleman I had the run in with in the store really is a good example of what many of use would like to say on many occasions, we just have the sense to keep our mouths shut, most of the time.
There are way too many of us, who if given the chance would blow an O-ring over something as little as a few dollars and our principles. Where has our joy gone? Where is our first love? Our first love never went any where. We simply stopped paying attention to Him. At first we miss a day of our devotions and then we go a day without praying before our meals, and pretty soon we have stopped talking to God altogether.
You see, just like in a relationship with your spouse or friends. If you’re not communicating something is wrong.
We have to get back to a place of communication with God and as we move toward Him, He will move toward us. The more we want of Him the more He is willing to give, but we have to move. We have to accept what He is offering to us.
If we are willing to offer all of us, He is willing to give all of Him
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
More forgiving than Jesus
A few weeks ago now I was at work taking care of business when I was called to the store front register to complete a return. Standing there was a gentleman who wanted to return three items, two small $1.99 books and a pin of some sort. He had purchased them for his small group at church.
Our store (Gift and Bible) has a return policy of 30 days with a receipt. Well, this man had his receipt but it was more than double to 30 days. I politely told the man that I was sorry, but I could not give him any cash back however, I would be willing to exchange these product for something else.
What the man said next really took me off guard and by total surprise. He said, “well, I hope Jesus Christ is more forgiving than you are!” and walked out of the store without the products he had brought in.
At first I could not believe what I had just heard. First of all why is this guy allowed to be a small group leader at church, and second, where does he get off making a statement like that. In my mind I was ready to rip this guy a new one, but on the out side I stayed in control and let the man walk out of the store unharmed.
The sad thing is as I continued to think about this encounter I realized that this is the way so many Christians live their lives. Walking around as if their “their shit don’t stink”. I know I am guilty of it. I find myself often times thinking that I am better than someone else because I am a Christian and they aren’t. This thought is a bunch of piled up, stinky, smelly, crap. The only thing we have that they don’t have is a rescuer and the really sad part about is that God has left us in-charge to introduce the lost to the “rescuer”, Jesus.
Our store (Gift and Bible) has a return policy of 30 days with a receipt. Well, this man had his receipt but it was more than double to 30 days. I politely told the man that I was sorry, but I could not give him any cash back however, I would be willing to exchange these product for something else.
What the man said next really took me off guard and by total surprise. He said, “well, I hope Jesus Christ is more forgiving than you are!” and walked out of the store without the products he had brought in.
At first I could not believe what I had just heard. First of all why is this guy allowed to be a small group leader at church, and second, where does he get off making a statement like that. In my mind I was ready to rip this guy a new one, but on the out side I stayed in control and let the man walk out of the store unharmed.
The sad thing is as I continued to think about this encounter I realized that this is the way so many Christians live their lives. Walking around as if their “their shit don’t stink”. I know I am guilty of it. I find myself often times thinking that I am better than someone else because I am a Christian and they aren’t. This thought is a bunch of piled up, stinky, smelly, crap. The only thing we have that they don’t have is a rescuer and the really sad part about is that God has left us in-charge to introduce the lost to the “rescuer”, Jesus.
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