(Jeremiah 29:7)
This has always impressed me as a rather amazing request of God's people. To ask those that have been forcibly removed from their surroundings and culture and dropped into a completely foreign, and often hostile, culture to pray for the peace and prosperity of that culture without changing or controlling it seems counter intuitive. But that's precisely God's request. And the prayer is unconditional. God asked them to pray for the city's prosperity and peace because they would share in it. In other words, they were to desire for their neighbors what they desired for themselves.
It makes me wonder what it would be like if more Christians prayed for others as people rather than as prospects. What if we shared God's love with people the way the sower in Jesus' story indiscriminately cast his seed (Matthew 13)? It seems to me that conversion as the goal has a way of short-circuiting relationships to move directly to the "return on investment" - conversion. Which may explain why most organizations that serve people in need have such strict prohibitions against proselytizing (conversion). It may also explain why the New Testament, although it talks a lot about conversions doesn't make it our primary responsibility (we are witnesses - Acts 1:8). When conversion is the only goal, motivation can too easily become manipulation and, as a result, relationships (people) suffer. People soon figure out that they are just prospects and feel cheated. Sincere Christians often discover the same thing and feel cheap.
God's love is most effective when it is shared indiscriminately and lavishly. God is teaching us to love people, not to conquer them. And if we believe that God offers us the best way to live, that should be obvious to all that seek a better way of life without deploying a clever strategy to convert them. Jesus' strategy was his way of life and it was quite simple - love everyone and speak the truth, or as the apostle Paul once said, "speak the truth in love" (Eph. 4:15). That all begins when we pray for the peace and prosperity of others. And when we get specific (naming names), we will learn to genuinely care for those around us. Before you know it, we will find ourselves loving them and acting for their good. That's when you know it's truly God's kingdom (agenda) and power (Holy Spirit) and glory. As someone wisely observed, "Before you can speak about God to others, you need to speak to God about them." Try it this week and let me know what you discover.
Dean I'm so glad to see your new blog and to hear what's on your mind about the work you are doing. I am a case worker for the poor and homeless at First Street Methodist Mission in Fort Worth. Since John Wesley is our homeboy, we work by the motto "Do all the good you can,by all the means you can, in all the places you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can." This sounds a lot like what you are saying.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Charme. I've always admired you and the work you do.
ReplyDeleteDean, been in that mindset for awhile. Most people still don't get it. It is not about populating pews, but populating heaven through relationships with others. Needs have to be met first otherwise it is all rhetoric. Christ's ministry entailed those same elements. That is why so many followed and some people still rejected him while he lived on earth.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Michael. It's good to hear from you again. If you like this, please subscribe (or follow). Thanks!
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