21 Aug Commonplace

Oswald Chambers observes: The phrase we hear so often, Decide for Christ, is an emphasis on something Our Lord never trusted. He never asks us to decide for Him, but to yield to Him – a very different thing. At the basis of Jesus Christ’s Kingdom is the unaffected loveliness of the commonplace. The thing I am blessed in is my poverty. If I know I have no strength of will, no nobility of disposition, then Jesus says – Blessed are you, because it is through this poverty that I enter His Kingdom. I cannot enter His Kingdom as a good man or woman, I can only enter it as a complete pauper.

The unconscious effort to live before Christ in the most commonplace of events exercises the most influence on others. We moved Jalonna (our daughter) into her own apartment in Wisconsin this past weekend to start a new ministry position on a church staff. Yes, tears were a part of the mix as we left our “little girl” there alone. Saturday, a young mother with three little ones hanging on her, knocked on the door and introduced herself. Jalonna offered to baby sit.

It will be those kind of commonplace interactions and conversations that will open the door for Jalonna to share Christ with those around her. While there may be some events at church that will be helpful for her neighbors to be invited to, the key to reaching them will be the doors of relationship that open into their lives in the mundane interactions Jalonna has with them.

So it is for us all. Is it safe? (Father, mother, grandparents are all asking that about her physical safety) 🙂

Yes. And no. It is challenging and requires some thought and awareness, physically and relationally. But it is worth it because it is the fulfillment of the mission. It is why she (and we) are there.

So today, don’t think about the outcomes, just be like Jesus to those around you and that will be the greatest influence you can have for the Kingdom.