First day of spring and it is a nippy 52 degrees with a nice windchill factor that I'm sure slides it down to a wintery 47.5. Outside there is a torrential downpour (for california) and it does not give any indication of letting up any time soon. But I suppose that we must pay a certain measure of tribute for all of the balmy 78 degree days we have recently experienced.
Anyway, on to more important things. I am currently in the process of procrastinating on this substantially large paper that is due on tuesday for my Social Theory class. I have a professor who decides to motivate her students by telling them that around 80% of the class will most likely have to re-write the paper, even if we thought we did it well. And while I am normally a wicked awesome paper writer (not bragging, God just blessed me with that ability), I am truly worried about how this paper will turn out. Maybe she's bluffing. I'm counting on a bluff. because I need to get a good grade in this class and re-writing a paper does not sound like fun. *sigh*. I just keep reminding myself that I have 69 more days until graduation. there is light at the end of this very long tunnel.
other thoughts:
At a recent chapel at school, one of my favorite professors gave a talk about being bold in sharing our faith. He is a very zealous speaker and could probably inspire a sloth to run a marathon. He talked about how people do a lot of evangelizing out there for whatever it is they are passionate about. It might be sharing the details of the beneficial qualities of football. It might be raving about a new band which has incredibly moving music. But whatever it is, people have no shame in singing its praises. And yet here we are as Christians, and we've been given salvation and the gift of eternal life and we are scared to share. And we fool ourselves into thinking they don't want to hear. but they do.
I have been recently questioned about what I believe. Not a mean back-you-in-a-corner type of questioning, but more of a i-really-don't-understand-you type questioning. And I have found that the more I explain, the more passionate I become and the more confident I am in what I believe. I always thought I'd get discouraged (which does happen at times...) but I have really found there is no better way to boost your confidence in what you believe than to tell people about it. Not in a shove-it-down-their-throats-while-pounding-the-Bible sort of way. but in a let-me-tell-you-about-what-my-heart's-passion-is sort of way.
I cannot claim any new believers based on what I've said. But that does not mean they aren't listening. And the funny thing is, they keep coming back for more and they don't even realize it. I am not shunned. I am not ignored. I am not written off.
the best part is I know that any words I say to them are not coming out of this ol' brain. I KNOW there's a Holy Spirit at work doing the whole inspiration thing because sometimes I say stuff that sound way better than I could have ever thought up. He happens to be very eloquent and make a lot of sense. after a short monologue about a particular facet of my belief in Christ, one of my aggressively non-believing friends said, "well...you got me there. I really have nothing to answer back to that with. I'll have to think about it."
GO SPIRIT! that's what I'm talking about =)
So go out. Share. Because there is a whole world out there that is getting tired of walking to the well every day for water that makes them thirsty again. But they have no other options. Show them to the living water. Sit down with them and share the radical idea that they don't have to thirst again.
Like the Samaritan woman in John 4, they might have questions and wonder how what you're offering is better than what they have. Our job is not to convince. It is to be open, offer the truth, live it out and love as Christ loves. one plants and another waters and God gives the increase.
I must remind myself that if I am truly passionate about Christ (which I am), then telling people about that must roll off the tongue as easily as talking about my favorite music, movie or pastime. Because what I have to share sorta tops them all.
be bold.
blessings.
Anyway, on to more important things. I am currently in the process of procrastinating on this substantially large paper that is due on tuesday for my Social Theory class. I have a professor who decides to motivate her students by telling them that around 80% of the class will most likely have to re-write the paper, even if we thought we did it well. And while I am normally a wicked awesome paper writer (not bragging, God just blessed me with that ability), I am truly worried about how this paper will turn out. Maybe she's bluffing. I'm counting on a bluff. because I need to get a good grade in this class and re-writing a paper does not sound like fun. *sigh*. I just keep reminding myself that I have 69 more days until graduation. there is light at the end of this very long tunnel.
other thoughts:
At a recent chapel at school, one of my favorite professors gave a talk about being bold in sharing our faith. He is a very zealous speaker and could probably inspire a sloth to run a marathon. He talked about how people do a lot of evangelizing out there for whatever it is they are passionate about. It might be sharing the details of the beneficial qualities of football. It might be raving about a new band which has incredibly moving music. But whatever it is, people have no shame in singing its praises. And yet here we are as Christians, and we've been given salvation and the gift of eternal life and we are scared to share. And we fool ourselves into thinking they don't want to hear. but they do.
I have been recently questioned about what I believe. Not a mean back-you-in-a-corner type of questioning, but more of a i-really-don't-understand-you type questioning. And I have found that the more I explain, the more passionate I become and the more confident I am in what I believe. I always thought I'd get discouraged (which does happen at times...) but I have really found there is no better way to boost your confidence in what you believe than to tell people about it. Not in a shove-it-down-their-throats-while-pounding-the-Bible sort of way. but in a let-me-tell-you-about-what-my-heart's-passion-is sort of way.
I cannot claim any new believers based on what I've said. But that does not mean they aren't listening. And the funny thing is, they keep coming back for more and they don't even realize it. I am not shunned. I am not ignored. I am not written off.
the best part is I know that any words I say to them are not coming out of this ol' brain. I KNOW there's a Holy Spirit at work doing the whole inspiration thing because sometimes I say stuff that sound way better than I could have ever thought up. He happens to be very eloquent and make a lot of sense. after a short monologue about a particular facet of my belief in Christ, one of my aggressively non-believing friends said, "well...you got me there. I really have nothing to answer back to that with. I'll have to think about it."
GO SPIRIT! that's what I'm talking about =)
So go out. Share. Because there is a whole world out there that is getting tired of walking to the well every day for water that makes them thirsty again. But they have no other options. Show them to the living water. Sit down with them and share the radical idea that they don't have to thirst again.
Like the Samaritan woman in John 4, they might have questions and wonder how what you're offering is better than what they have. Our job is not to convince. It is to be open, offer the truth, live it out and love as Christ loves. one plants and another waters and God gives the increase.
I must remind myself that if I am truly passionate about Christ (which I am), then telling people about that must roll off the tongue as easily as talking about my favorite music, movie or pastime. Because what I have to share sorta tops them all.
be bold.
blessings.
