let the outsiders in

I always feel a little uncomfortable when I try to share something I've learned while reading the Bible. I guess I still battles those feelings of inadequacy; or the fear that I will misinterpret something and form it into something else entirely. I don't know if that's the case here, I don't think it is.

But this morning, I was reading in Acts and something struck me pretty hard. It was in the 15th chapter and it tells the story of Paul and Barnabas traveling through the Gentile lands, sharing the Message. Along their journey, while sharing the Word, Paul and Barnabas are met by some Jews from Judea who start telling these new believer Gentiles that they must be circumcised and conform to the Jewish traditions.

Paul and Barnabas are upset, because they know that this is not how God would want the Messsage passed along. So Paul and Baranabas travel back to Jerusalem to share the news of how God is working and to protest the Jews from burdening new believers with ancient Jewish customs. So the members of the Jerusalem church draft a letter of apology and explanation and send it to the Gentile church along with two good men from the church, sent as representatives.

The letter basically says that the men claiming that circumcision and other Jewish tradition is a necessary act for believers are wrong. The letter says that these new representatives have been sent to show that there are good men in the church and these men will continue to share the good news with them, without crushing them with the burden of tradition.

Whew! That was a lot of exposition. But all that to say that this chapter of Acts really spoke to me. Too often, we allow the "church" to burden new believers with a laundry list of do's and don'ts that sometimes only serve to alienate the new believers. I used to be so brainwashed by all of the things that I was told were wrong and unacceptable.

I used to let the church tell me what was wrong and right, not listening to what God was speaking to me about. I think it's our duty to be represntatives to the new believers. I don't think we can afford to sit back and assume that the church, as in institution, is always going to have the answers.

In the past year, I've learned something incredibly valuable. Moreso than any sermon, or time in a church pew, it's been the one-on-one moments that have defined and strengthened my walk with Christ. It's been the porch meetings and the car rides; the group get-togethers and dinners that have showed me what a walk with Jesus can be like.

And I'm done bashing the church. They're not always the bad guys and I don't want people thinking that I harbor that feeling, because I'm growing up and learning that Jesus uses all kinds of people and places. But I think that it's our duty to not sit back and let others do the work. I'm trying hard to be that person who reaches out, who takes the time to spend with people and share with them. I hope that God continues to use me, the way he wants to use me. Because without his guidance, I am lost at sea.

Anyway, thanks for reading this. I don't know if it means anything to anybody else, but it struck me as important this morning.

Peace to you all.