Sharing Our Faith

This was the second of two personal reflections I wrote for a retreat this past weekend.

Open your journal and write down your response to these questions. Spend as much or little time as you need to answer these questions. When you are done please sit quietly until your small group leader tells you it is time to come back.

Have you ever tried to share your faith with someone?

Have you ever had someone share their faith, Christian or otherwise, with you? How did you respond?

Jesus tells us that we are to share the faith in a passage called the Great commission. Read Matthew 28:18-20. Jesus tells us to go and make disciples of all nations.

What’s your first response to this? Is it fear, nervousness, excitement, or something else entirely?

Jesus spoke these words to his disciples. Why do you think they apply to us as well?

Often when we are not prepared for a question, it is difficult or impossible to answer it. Take a few minutes and write down what you would say if someone asked you what you believe in. There is no right or wrong answer here. If someone asked you what you believe, what would you tell them?


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How do I share my faith?

After Jesus died and was resurrected, His last words recorded in the book of Matthew are called the Great Commission.

Read Matthew 28:16-20 in your Bible.

Talking about our faith is a scary thing. Are there certain people it is easier to share our faith with?

If someone asked you what you believed, what would you tell them?

What if you came across someone who didn’t believe Jesus was the son of God who died for our sins. What could you say or do to share your faith with them?

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Cheating With Someone

²⁷"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' ²⁸But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Matthew 5:27-28 (NIV)

Today's verse starts another three-day series due to absence. I have been talking with a number of people about cheating lately, both spouses and boyfriends/girlfriends. So this series is addressed in three parts to the three people in that kind of relationship. The first who are thinking of cheating with someone else. The second is for people who are thinking of cheating on someone else. The third for those who are being cheated on. I imagine these lessons will be painful for some, but I hope they will serve as guideposts for others if they are ever in this kind of situation in the future.

Today's verse is about cheating in our hearts. When you look at someone and think, "I want to be with that person," you are laying the groundwork for making that happen. You are thinking about how to make that happen - what to say and how to act. When that person is already with someone, you are tempting yourself to cheat.

Does this verse mean Jesus expects us to never look at anyone else and wonder, "what if?" I don't think so. But when you find yourself falling for someone in a relationship, and they feel the same, you have a responsibility to be mature about it. You should encourage the other person to end their former relationship before they start a new one with you. If they're just dating, this may be relatively simple. If they are married, then this should take some prayerful consideration on their part about why they want a divorce (more on this tomorrow.)

If the person is not willing to get out of their old relationship, this should be a signal to you that you are not that important to them. If the excitement of a new relationship is because of the cheating, then there isn't a real relationship there to begin with. The other reason for ending the old before beginning the new is if you start your relationship by cheating, you are destroying the trust in your new relationship. You both will know that the other is capable of cheating. You will both be suspicious of the other. That's not a good way to start a relationship.

Ultimately though, you should consider stepping back. It's ok to have feelings for someone. What you do with them is the important thing. You should avoid getting between other peoples' relationships. We are called to build each other up, not tear each other down. In today's verse Jesus warns us about thinking and day dreaming about cheating. Once you start thinking about it, it's easier to do it. So try not to think about it. Easy? Perhaps not always, but in the end it's the best thing for you and them.

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Following Isn't Always Fun

And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

Matthew 5:40 (NIV)

I had an experience this past week which made this passage active in my life. Some money was stolen at work that I was responsible for while it was in someone else's care. I took responsibility for it, and I paid the money back. I realized that I had not only given my tunic in the form of my reputation and trustworthiness at work, but I also gave my cloak as well in the form of paying back the money that someone else stole.

What I realized is that Jesus never says, "and be happy about it." I have been really upset about this. Something David Drebes said in his sermon at the vocations conference last week was, "It's not always fun to follow Jesus." Gathering with other Christians at events and during church is one of the rewards - the fun things - that we get to do as Christians. It's not all easy though. Sometimes it's downright tough.

So today I ask you to pray for me as I work through my own feelings from this experience. I also ask you to pray for whoever took the money; because while we are supposed to pray for our enemies, that doesn't mean we can't ask for help in doing it.

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Our Human Journey

⁹Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; ¹⁰take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep.

Matthew 10:9-10 (NIV)

In my pastor's sermon today he read this quote:

We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey.

That thought brings new meaning to the above passage. Jesus doesn't call us to go out on a spiritual pilgrimage, but to go out on a lifelong journey. He tells us not to worry about material things, but instead to focus on our ministry. Our entire lives are a human journey, but they are not the only part of our existence - just one part.

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Cell Phones Treasures

¹⁹"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)

This verse is inspired by my Sunday, which started by my brand new iPhone no longer working. I lost my ability to call people, to connect with them, and to arrange meetings for the Watermelon Festival today. Luckily everyone I was with had a phone and had most of the numbers I needed. But not all of them. I found out how much I rely on my cell phone.

Further I found how much of a distraction my phone was. When it was broken I was sitting in church trying to listen to the sermon and I was running scenarios in my mind about what would happen when I brought my phone into the Apple store for repair. Then I started thinking about what today's verse was going to be.

So my conclusion is not to throw away your technology. But when it fails you, realize your life isn't over and don't obsess over it. I still had people to hang out with. It was all God. And when I finally let it go and got to the Apple the store, the guy behind the counter took about 30 seconds to look at my phone and just gave me a new one. Having said that, back up your cell phone. It's a very good thing to do. :)

For me, I found that while I did complain a bit about my cell phone breaking; and fret about not meeting up with all the people I planned to (sorry Sarah, Suzanna and Meggie), I was able to take that step back and enjoy what I did have. Regardless of your situation, God gives us things to be thankful for. So when stuff happens, look for the silver lining and remember your friends' value is in their company, not their contact info in your phone.

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Making A Change

¹⁸Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)

This verse was inspired by a couple of movies I watched this weekend: Shredderman Rules and Kids in America. The first is a Nickelodeon movie, the second - an independent film. Both are about students rising up against tyranny and oppression. Both are about making a change. In both movies the protagonists must make a change in themselves, a decision to act, before they can work to make a change in other peoples' lives. In both cases the protagonists are pushed too far before they are willing to put themselves out there.

Both movies have a good message, but my question for you today is, "What does it take for you to change?" When you read today's passage, are you ready to go out now? Or are you waiting for someone to push you into it? What's your tipping point before you're ready to share the good news? If you're still waiting, what are you waiting for?

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Social Bullying: Turning the Other Cheek

39But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on
the right cheek, turn to him the other also

Matthew 5:39 (NIV)

I think what inspired today's verse was the new Harry Potter movie. Whenever Malfoy does somethign to Harry, Harry always gets him back, and around the cycle goes. In the sixth movie, Harry spies on Malfoy. Then Malfoy bloodies Harry's nose. Then Harry uses the spell Sectum Sepra to hurt Malfoy.

Today's lesson is part of the Beatitudes, also known as the Sermon on the Mount. It's easy to say, "Turn the other cheek", but as soon as we start thinking about it we think, "I can't do that." So I started thinking, is it really that literal?

Harry Potter reminded me of a term I heard, called social bullying. Social bullying is beating people up emotionally. It's a lot more common these days than physical bullying. So if we turn the other cheek in a verbal engagement, what does it look like? Sticks and stone may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. It's a useful comeback in elementary school, but as we get older it seems to lose it's power.

Verbal abuse hurts, and it stays with us. What does turning the other cheek have to do with this? Jesus goes on in the following verses to tell us to go beyond, and to offer them more than they're asking for. I don't think he means that if someone makes fun of us we should tell them our deepest, darkest secrets so they can hurt us more. But he is telling us to not retaliate. He asks us to be the better person by not fighting back? To be kind to people who are mean to us.
Does this mean we don't have a right to be hurt and angry? That we should just be able to let it all wash away? I don't think so. We shouldn't keep things bottled up inside. Jesus is always willing to listen. We should also talk them out - preferably with the people who hurt us. If we can't so that, we can confide in someone we can trust.

If you think about it, talking about things like this allows us to get them off our chest. It keeps our feelings from being bottled up, and it keeps us from exploding when the next person comes along and hurts our feelings. So turning the other cheek means a lot more than just dealing in the moment. It has to do with how we deal afterwards - and how we prepare for the next time.

If you would like to read more on this subject, I found a three-part article on turning the other cheek when we are "emotionally slapped". It's a pretty short read, and I strongly encourage girls in particular to read it. You can find it here: http://www.gospel.com/blog/index.php/2007/09/14/turning-the-other-cheek-when-youve-been-emotionally-slapped/

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Judging Others

1"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

3"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

Matthew 7:1-5

I picked this verse after I saw a picture of a tatoo on someone. When I was younger I was not a big fan of tattoos, to the point they bothered me. I still don't get them, but I'm really just indifferent to them now. When I saw that tattoo though, the the verse that came to my mind was the above from Matthew - about not judging. I have found that one of my huge stumbling blocks is that I judge people easily. I have gotten a lot better at not doing that, by just taking a step back. But it's sometimes difficult. So the whole tattoo thing reminded me of how I often need to remember that different people like different things. This is the thought I pass on to you tonight - to think before you judge.

This doesn't mean that we should never have opinions, or that we should never share them. But when we DO share them, we should be doing so from a place of love.

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