The One Thing

Salvation…such a churchy word. What does it mean? What is the point? Here’s the deal, the point is, be like Jesus. That’s it. Follow Jesus. Live with Jesus. Live like Jesus. Love like Jesus. Be Jesus to the least of these.

The least of these…more churchy phrases. Don’t misunderstand this phrase. Am I talking about the poor and those living on the fringes? Yes. And…

Let me tell you a little secret, the rich need Jesus too, and oftentimes, they are even harder to reach. And do you know what else? The middle class, the average Joe’s, they need Jesus too. 

Jesus is needed by all. Not just the poor. Not just the rich. Not just the Democrats. Not just the Republicans. Not just the pro-lifers. Not just the pro-choicers. Not just the addicts. Not just the teachers. Not just the politicians. Not just the doctors. Not just the experts. Not just the Baptists. Not just the Methodists. Not just the Catholics. Not just the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Not just the Mormons. Not just the non-denominational Christians. Not just the children. Not just the adults. Not just the Millenials. Not just the Boomers. Not just the previous generation. Not just the next generation. Not just the prostitutes. Not just the white men. Not just the black women. Not just the transgenders. Not just the (insert your own group in the us and them world you are currently living in). 

Jesus.

Jesus must be the center of it all. Jesus must be the source of it all. Jesus must be our theology. We must be willing to go where He goes, say what He says, do what He does, live as He lives. Sounds simple enough right? Think again.

When you decide to step up and start living with Jesus, you become a full-blown missionary. Your life becomes a life of worship. His way becomes your way. Your life becomes aligned with His life. He begins to break the worldly patterns within you (which can be hard and painful). He pushes you into community where you have a shared purpose with others. You begin setting aside opinions and beliefs for a shared purpose (can you even imagine). You begin to share your life with your community of people…the highs and the lows (which can be scary and intimidating). He begins to reveal methods of reaching people and increasing your desire to do so. You begin constantly evaluating what works and what doesn’t work in your efforts to introduce others to Jesus. 

Jesus sends us into the wind and the waves. It can be amazing and incredible and the best thing you have ever experienced in your entire life. It is the kind of thing that you never want to give up. It is all-consuming in the best way. Sometimes, like Peter, you may take your eyes off of Him and sink in the waves. Sometimes you may get seasick in the rough waters. Salvation, living with and loving like Jesus, is not always easy and wonderful. It will be hard and exhausting too. But here’s the thing, when you get seasick missionaries, all you have to do is look to the horizon. Look to the cross. Look to the empty tomb. Look to the triumph. Fix your eyes on those things and allow the peace and the calm of Jesus to invade your soul once again. Let Him fill you up with everything you need to carry on. He will never let you down.