Need-meeting, an illustration

I had a wonderful experience yesterday evening. I went to mow grass for a guy who cannot do it himself. I have developed a good relationship with this man through the regular visits that came by way of mowing his grass last year. Last night, when I was there, he had several visitors. Long story-short... One of the visitors came out to give me a break. He went ahead and mowed the remainder of the lawn, allowing me to weed-eat. The end result was that I accomplished far more than I had hoped. That is good, given this week is too busy.

Meanwhile, during my initial break, I found myself sitting in the living room with folks I had never met. My friend began to express his impression of Sunshine to me, in front of his guests. He said that he has never seen a church where people seem so genuinely happy. He said that he felt accepted and put at-ease. He described us as laid-back. "They don't even pass a collection plate, they have some boxes in the back somewhere," he exclaimed.

I felt a tremendous sense of satisfaction in hearing him talk of us in that manner for it confirms that he has experienced something of Jesus through us.

Later in the conversation, I was asked questions like, "Is there really an unforgivable sin?" and "Does God really not hear the prayer of sinners?" An opportunity born out of meeting a simple need.

I am posting this because it serves as a practical illustration of the previous post regarding "need-meeting". We are a family of faith through whom God is reaching the community. It is easier than we often realize. The power is God's, we are simply instruments in His hands.

Again, the battle is TIME! The hardest part of mowing this lawn is finding the time to do it. Practical wisdom says, "Be careful of getting caught-up in long-term commitments" and, "Guard your time." Yet, Paul says, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me- The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

As American, middle-class Christians--our challenge (generally stated) is to release our death grip on our time and money so to be free to embrace the life Christ is offering us. I say this humbly because I am far better at talking this talk, than walking this walk.