So I was driving home after a long stressful day at work, and I just so happened to have Christian Radio on. I’m glad I did because I caught the tail end of a story. I wish I knew who the story was from so I could give them credit. I caught the part of the story where they asked, “What was ministry to Jesus?” The response came rather quickly and I wish I would have had more time to think about it before we left for church. The answer was so simple. “Ministry to Jesus is whoever was standing in front of Him.”
Think about it. How often do we go someplace in this world and we run into an obstacle. How often do we do whatever has to be done to go around, under, over or through it, without, of course, confronting it head on in a Christ-like manner? I know I do it way too often. So it made me think.
Then during our Lenten worship service this evening I thought of a great example of shining as a light of faith when an “obstacle” is present (confronting it head on).
Luke 10:25-37 is the example:
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[c]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d]” 28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[e] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
I don’t really know where I am trying to go with this, but rather simply wish whoever reads this would think about it also. Think about how whoever Christ ran into He didn’t run away from, but rather wanted to help. Whoever He came into contact with He wanted to share the Word with. Whoever Christ came into contact with He touched in some way shape or form. Every single one of us can do the same thing. Ever wonder why God puts someone in your life? Whether it be for a second, minute, hour, day, months, or years? That person is there for some reason, you may not know what it is then but someday you may find out. I pray, that when you are put in someone’s life, even just for a split second, that they can realize that you are a child of God, and that you can shine the Light of Christ on them.
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