Influencers

At different times of my life the Spirit has highlighted specific lessons he wants me to grasp. These lessons become foundational stones in "who I am" as the Spirit refines my image bearing responsibilities. I realized a while ago that I will never arrive at a point where I have a full revelation of any of the attributes of Yahweh because they are so much higher, wider, deeper than I can grasp while clothed in flesh. But what I can grasp I have the responsibility to act on as my "dna" is re-written.

I have always been attracted to the servant nature of Jesus and understood that he modeled the attribute in which we are to serve. He told the disciples that leadership in the kingdom looks opposite to the model of leadership in this world. James told us our purpose is to "love and value our neighbour". Paul wrote that we are to consider other people more important than ourselves and to consider their interest and not just our own. Jesus told us to love each other in the same manner he has loved us.

Jesus spoke with a megaphone when he took on the servant's role and washed his disciple's feet. It wasn't so much the washing the feet as much as this was the responsibility of a servant. This is an attribute that has escaped much of the Church for much of her history. There is a reason that we are not very attractive to the world and why so many sins have been committed in the name of Jesus.

A simple thought has been given to me in recent days that best sums up this new foundational stone that is being formed in my life. It is a thought I have chased after all my life because my heart's desire was to be a servant to the Church. In my earlier years I did not understand that this desire was due to my calling in the Body and in later years it was more a fleeting thought than a foundational stone. Yet, the thought sums up this "dna" transformation concisely:

We have greater influence when we live as supporting actors than as leading stars.

The great failing of the Church has been her desire to control society, forcing people into behaviours that can only be supported by a transformed heart. Father has no desire to force control on anyone but he gladly welcomes our surrender to his will and his ways. Jesus extended an invitation to the world and told us that his yoke is well fitting and his burden is light. This is in comparison to humanity trying to earn its way. Jesus had the authority to give the invitation because he took on the role as a servant and paid for our invitation. There is no other way.

What happens when we place ourselves in the starring role is that we place everyone else in a supporting role. We try to control them into thinking like us, acting like us, talking like us, dressing like us. I don't think it is done maliciously but neither is it done with love. We are attempting to do something that our Father has never done.

In this age of grace he has given everyone a bit of breathing space to discover him. One day is reserved for judgement and what will be judged is whether a person accepted Jesus' invitation or not. Those of us who have accepted that invitation and have become citizens of God's Kingdom have been given a ministry of reconciliation. It is not a ministry of hatred, manipulation and fear. It is a ministry of support and influence. We enter into the lives of people and become part of their life for them, not ourselves. The focus is on their success and a demonstration of the Kingdom for them so that they discover that while we were in rebellion Jesus died for us because Father is for us not against us and if he is for us who could be against us. 

The message of the cross is love and forgiveness. Too often we make it an instrument of condemnation. Too often we forget the "While we were still" part and we expect people to clean up their act before coming to Jesus. We try to control them by controlling their behaviour. Even after they bend their knee to Jesus it is wrong for us to force change. We teach but the Spirit convicts and with his conviction comes ongong transformation because it is a process. Meanwhile, the mature are encouragers, cheerleaders of the immature because we have all been there and we know what Jesus is doing.

We influence the world for Jesus not control it. We become friends with the rebellious so the influence of the Kingdom is present in their lives. We never make it about us. We never put ourselves in the center. We stand on  the ground we have been given and we fight for others from a position of peace not fear. And we remember that behaviour is only a symptom. It is the heart that matters. Always the heart. We are influencers.