Thursday, April 8, 2010

Obstacle or Opportunity?

From time to time I have the privilege of walking with people as they encounter questions for clarification on what they believe as a follower of Christ from their family, friends and co-workers. What is fascinating about these somewhat challenging moments in our lives is that each of these experiences provides us with the opportunity to cast the vision of the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth.

If you think about it for a moment, when we ask a question we are often looking for clarification are we not? A question is the beginning of the defusion of mis-truth. I can remember the moment that I asked my wife Bonny to marry me. In that moment, I was looking for clarification and affirmation to the truth that I believed in that she did in fact love me and want to spend the rest of her life with me as husband and wife. Thankfully, Bonny responded with the word yes to my question instead of the word no. There was, however, a brief pause in between my initial request and her response, which briefly led me to question the truth that motivated me to ask this question in the first place!

Several weeks ago a group of students from Chestemere visited my place of work. These students were part of a peer leadership initiative sponsored by their town's municipal government in hopes of creating a greater level of understanding and level of engagement with this generation of young people in the areas of cooperation, commonality and religious acceptance. Several of my peers and I were bombarded with a variety of questions regarding our faith in Christ, and with each question we were provided with the opportunity to defuse mis-truth and re-cast the vision of Jesus in their midst. As I observed, listened and responded in love to each question directed my way, I couldn't help but wonder and what these seeds of hope and life would flourish to become in the lives of these youth.

When we are faced with a question, we have a decision to make. Will we choose to see this question as an opportunity to cast the vision of Christ, or do we see it as an obstacle in our attempts to proclaim the gospel message for all the world to hear? I hope and pray that as you take time to listen to those around you, that you may respond to their questions in step and in line with the Spirit of God so that in all things His Name would continue to be honored and glorified for all the world to see!

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A Little Something from Psalm 8

 Had a lot of fun with this one.