I have found it's easier for me to talk to a complete stranger about Christ than with my own family members. I have a few theories about why this is...
1. I make false assumptions about my family's relationship with Christ: Everyone is my family is a Christ-follower!!! It's the thought that runs through my mind every time we get together, but the reality is they are not. Sure they might have been raised in church, but evidence in their lives now show that Jesus probably has not influence on them.
2. Of all people, they know my screw-ups: You're most comfotable around your family, but sometimes that's a great problem. You can be yourself around your close family, but sometimes that comfort lowers your guard. You feel you can "get away" with saying things, doing things, watching things, gossiping, lying. While the comfort is nice, we need to make sure we don't lose our influence due to our comfort.
3. I feel there will be time later: While the reality of death faces us every day, we tend to think it will never intersect with our family. Sure the older members of our family are getting closer to death , but not my cousins, brothers, aunt, uncles, and etc. But James 4:14 is not just true for grandparents, but for every person.
Maybe you don't struggle with these, but I know they trip me up constantly. But this Christmas I want it to be different. I don't want to assume. I don't want to lower my guard. I don't want to wait. I want the closest people to me on earth to be the closest people to me in eternity. What's family for 75ish years compared to family for eternity.
As my friend Dean Inserra preached this weekend, "re-gift" Jesus Christ this Christmas. God gave us an indescribable gift not for us to keep, but to share. And start at home.
No comments:
Post a Comment