Tuesday, August 21, 2007

6 ways to simplify your witness

Mainly because of fear, many people never share their faith with others. I think we’ve made it too complicated. It doesn’t have to be that way. In John 9, Jesus healed a blind guy. Within minutes this guy was sharing his faith. He exemplifies how to share our faith simply.

(This will make more sense if you read all of John 9).

  • Be yourself

But he himself insisted, "I am the man." John 9:9


Don’t put on your evangelist mask. Just be yourself.

  • Tell your story
"How then were your eyes opened?" they demanded. He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see." John 9:10-11

The story doesn’t have to be spectacular or dramatic. It just has to be yours.

  • Remember it’s OK to say "I Don’t Know"
"Where is this man?" they asked him. "I don't know," he said. John 9:12


In fact it is good to say, “I don’t know.” Everyone else knows you don’t know everything. Don’t let the fear of being stumped keep you from sharing what you do know.

  • Focus on what Jesus has done for you

One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" John 9:25

I have been amazed how receptive people are when I simple describe the difference God has made in your life (see I just did it).

  • Don’t worry about the results

Then they hurled insults at him and said, "You are this fellow's disciple! We are disciples of Moses! John 9:28


Lot of times we don’t see the results. So stop worrying about them.

  • Expect your own faith to grow
Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you." Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him. John 9:37-38


Not only will others be impacted, Jesus will also reveal Himself to you in new and cool ways.



Thursday, August 16, 2007

Easily Distracted

I am so easily distracted. Like Martha in the Bible. Luke 10:40 says, But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.

Jesus had just dropped by her home and Martha was the hostess. Martha was responsible.

Can’t you just see her? Frantically running around the kitchen kneading the dough, making the soup, and sweeping the floor? All for Jesus. She had such good intentions.

And all the while her sister, Mary, sat at Jesus’ feet oblivious to her sister’s frantic display.


This passage above gets sort of personal, for me, because the word translated preparations could actually be translated ministry. Which means that it is quite possible for good things, even godly things, like the ministry things I stress over, to take our focus away from the one thing Jesus wants us to focus on.


The story continues … Martha came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

We’ve all been there. Frustrated when others don’t share our sense of urgency and responsibility. And Martha’s boiling point is found in the phrase, Lord, don't you care? “Don’t you get it? Don’t you even notice?”

I love Jesus’ response: "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." LK 10:41-42

That’s what I long for: the peace that only comes to a soul that is postured at the feet of Jesus.


Monday, August 6, 2007

Feature Creep

Why does a remote control have more buttons than we will ever use?

Chip and Dan Heath and their remarkable book
‘Made to Stick’ say that the answer is “the noble intentions of engineers.” (Thanks, Deyl, for the recommendation). Somewhere along the way someone gets the great idea to add another ‘gee whiz’ feature. It is called feature creep which is the tendency for things to become incrementally more complex until they no longer perform their original function very well.

Feature creep happens in my life all the time. I have a predisposition toward complication. I am so influenced by the more-buttons-the-better culture in which I live. Left on my own, I always make things more complicated. And it influences the way I approach my walk with God. I can also buy into the mindset that more is better.

And then I remember the words of Jesus to the rich young ruler.

MK 10:21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

Of course, the transferable part of what Jesus said was the very end: “Follow me.” That is the thing that Jesus did say and does say to all of his disciples: “Follow me.”

But what’s revolutionary is the way to follow Him.

  • Not to do more, but to do less.

  • Not to accumulate more, but to release more.

  • Not to multiply … but to simplify.

  • Not a checklist of duties, but a re-centering of our lives.

  • And to make sure nothing gets in the way of following Him as our highest ambition.

For the next several weeks we will be exploring what it means to simplify our lives before God. Looking forward to the journey together.