Many of us probably imagine Paul as a great preacher, in front of the crowds, sharing the good news of salvation to the Gentiles. We imagine him in the spotlight, like our pastor on Sunday mornings, or that famous author/speaker who comes to speak every now and then.
Although there were times that Paul was able to teach large crowds from up front, I believe Scripture tells us that they were not as numerous as the times he spent in prison, in shackles, being beaten, whipped, and stoned. Nor were they as numerous as the times he spent teaching and discipling the next generation of leaders so that they could be the ones to build up the churches.
So we look up to Paul, and we want to be like him and follow his example.
Yet, how willing are we to go all the way and make the same commitment he did?
Many of the pictures we have today tend to misrepresent what prison would have been like for Paul. The top two pictures are prisons much like the ones Paul could have been in. The left is one in Rome, which is where Paul spent the latter part of his years, and the one on the right is in Philippi. Neither are spacious or comfortable looking. Nor do they have beds and sinks like the prisons we may picture of today. No, these prisons are tight, dirty, muggy, hot, and not meant for people who are claustrophobic. THIS is where Paul lived most of his life, but not until after the authorities would afflict him. Paul committed his entire life to the Lord; it was not a side thing that he did twice a week. He had no other duties in life but to share the gospel with the Gentiles, no matter the cost:
"Giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love..."
2 Corinthians 6:3-6
One thing God has been teaching me lately is how living a life for Christ is one of extreme commitment, not being comfortable and "doing good deeds". It's not about being a nice, happy person, going to church, being in a Bible Study, and volunteering in a ministry. A life that is committed to Christ is one of pure motivations, intentional decisions, and walking by the Spirit.
"But I say, walk by the Spirit,
and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh."
Galations 5:16
Every day we need to chose to
"not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of [our] mind, so that [we] may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."
Romans 12:2
Every. Day.
Committed. To. His. Greater. Glory.
Whatever a farmer plants (sows) is what he will harvest (reap). If he plants corn, he will harvest corn. If he plants beans, he will harvest beans. Let's say it is easier to plant beans than it is corn (I'm not a farmer, so I don't know if this is true or not, but let's just say..), so the farmer plants beans and expects to harvest corn. Now, we don't need to be farmers to know that this is just silly, not to mention impossible!
Well, Paul says the same thing about our lives in Christ:
"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked;
for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption,
but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life."
Galatians 6:7-8
Just like whatever the farmer plants he will also harvest, the same is true for our lives.
Wherever we invest our time, energy and committment (sowing) is what we will be rewarded for (reaping). This does not mean the journey will be easy, or the decisions a breeze to make. In fact, it shouldn't be easy, and we should hope that it is not. Because if it is, then we have done something terribly wrong: we have become like the world, we have conformed.
This Christian life is NOT about the happy feelings we get when we go to a conference or experience a good worship night.
Though these things are good, and encouraging for our walk with the Lord, True Commitment is when we remain faithful (and joyful) in the midst of the hardships of life.
When nothing seems to be going "right", and we're able to raise our hands and praise God that He is doing a mighty work in our hearts.
True commitment is living with integrity, whether someone is around or not:
Being modest because we know that our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit and we want to guard it with our lives; Watching the words we say so that they are not hurtful to those around us, but rather so that they build others up; Being careful of the movies/shows we watch and the music we listen to, so that we may glorify God with Every area of our lives.
True commitment is choosing to not participate in an activity with our friends (even if they are Christian friends) because we know that in doing so, we will just look like one of the world.
True commitment is taking the time to reach out to non-Christian friends, and if we don't have any to find some, because that's what being a believer is all about!
True commitment walks in the Spirit all day, every day; not just when we are at church or doing devotions
We cannot stay within the walls of our churches, christian schools and homes and expect the Word to be preached to those who do not believe. They Will Not come to us, we Need to go to them. And it is not the job of the pastor, or missions pastor to do so. It is the job of the body of Christ. That is us!
I am challenging myself, along with anyone else who wants to give up the worldly-Christian life, to step out of the comfortable walls.
To be willing, EVERY DAY, to say Yes to God and No to the patterns of this world.
To soak in Scripture and pray for discernment of what is glorifying to God and what is not.
To follow Paul's example, and make myself nothing so that Christ can be everything.
"Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake;
for when I am weak, then I am strong."
2 Corinthians 12:10
