|
#24
April 9, 2007 (Monday after Easter)
"Our changed lives might be the only gospel some people will ever read."
Elaine Roulet
From Life-changing to Changing Lives
You and me, Gospel with arms and legs attached
Part One: The Obvious Word
There is an obvious word here: gospel. But the prime operative word
in this quote, for me, has always been might, which can be read as
conditional and as probability—one choice among many options available.
The “probability” reading makes sense. There are many ways a person
can experience the Good News about Jesus, the gospel. It’s the
conditional that scares me silly. And it is simply this: Is my life
changed enough so that when someone reads my life, they will read the
gospel? They will read Jesus?
Part Two: With arms and legs attached – in other words, Incarnational
Our entire Christian faith is built on the incarnation – Jesus, in
the flesh, God and human, for us. Our baptismal theology (no matter how
it is practiced or at what age) leads us also to the human dying and
rising with Christ, to Easter. Our working theology is about living
relationships. We are brothers and sisters with Christ, adopted, joint
hears with Christ receiving all the love the Father has. Our missional
theology is exactly the same, to build relationships with people and in
so doing, give them that living text to read, our changed lives in
Christ.
In the relationships we build, day in and day out, are we paying
enough attention to this incarnational notion? Is in taking root in us?
Are we always aware of how people out there perceive us, how they view
our actions, our words? Are we paying enough attention to what we, as
living Gospel texts are saying to them?
Closing: Listen, Share, Learn and Love
Listen to God’s voice in this Easter season, speaking life and hope
to you.
Share what you know of God’s joy with those around you. Let them read
your Good News.
Learn a new story by listening to the people around you who are in
need and then let Christ’s spirit, the spirit of our Lord and of his
resurrection, surprise you with new ways to meet those needs.
Love this world, your family and friends, love the joy God offers you
in this gift of resurrection surprising joy. | 