|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
There’s a malady that has overcome Jesus followers; one that we are largely unaware of. Culture and governments around us are slowly squeezing us out of public circles, relegating our faith to personal matters. It’s why so many sermons, podcasts, Christian music, and even books are heavy on your personal relationship with Jesus to the exclusion of your influence in the public circle.
It’s why few Christians are in public office. It’s why a vast majority of Christians do not vote, and if they do, they vote not based on a biblical worldview, but on what benefits them personally.
It’s why the church is largely silent on public matters.
Our silence has given the unsaved leaders of our culture an open door to rule and reign in ways that are contrary to what and how God says we are to live, both as individuals and as a society.
Colossians 1:10 is part of a long run-on sentence from Paul. In this verse he says we are to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work. “
There is no sphere of yours and my lives that is not under the authority and call of Jesus Christ. Yes, and by all means, live your personal life in a manner worthy of the Lord. That means, your:
- Finances
- Time management
- Hygiene
- Relationships
- Your spiritual life
- The food you eat
- Entertainment
- Music
- Clothing
- House and car
You get the idea.
But, what about your views on life? What about the well-being of your neighbors, your town, your State or Province? What about your country? Where governments try to mettle in moral issues, they are stepping out of their bounds, according to Scripture. For example, God says in his Word that marriage is between a man and a woman. It’s been that way since day one with Adam and Eve. Scripture also teaches that life begins at conception. You have intercourse and she gets pregnant, the life in her is fully human.
You can see for yourself where our culture is at. The eroding of the rule of law that is rooted in a Judeo-Christian value system is happening right before our eyes.
Recently, I watched the movie “Letters to the American Church” by Eric Metaxas, hosted by our church. It’s a sobering wake-up call to the parallels between the church in Germany at the time of Hitler and the way that the American Church, in her modern-day silence is allowing atrocities to happen in our culture.
During the movie I kept hearing myself saying “But, I’m just one tiny cog in the wheel. What can I do that makes any difference?” Then, that thought went deeper into another lie. That, all the efforts at Mentoring Warriors is a wash. Worth nothing. That the vision of equipping men to mentor and preparing young men for life from a Christ-focused perspective, the writing of the book Mentoring Warriors, the many mountain man adventures, backpacking events, boot camps, and even the trip to mentor train in Africa is a waste of time.
My emotions were taking a deep dive south into a no man’s land of discouragement.
Then, the movie was over, the lights came on. I looked left and right and behind me. Guess who I saw? About 20-30 young adults sitting next to me!
The Lord spoke to me. Courage is at the heart of real manhood.
2 Timothy 2:2 came to mind:
“And what you have heard from me, in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
Years ago (1975 era) two Christian groups, YWAM and Campus Crusade (Youth with a Mission) and (Cru) got together and identified Seven Spheres of Influence.
- Church
- Business
- Government
- Media
- Sports/Entertainment
- Family
- Education
Each of us live in one or more of these circles. I live in at least 3 or 4 of them.
Within those seven spheres of influence, there are three God-given mandates:
- Great Commission- to make disciples as we go through life
- Great Commandment- to love others the way God does
- Great Cultural Influence- to have a godly input on the way of life where we live
All cultures move either towards brokenness or beauty. Every culture that ignores or suppresses God moves towards increasing brokenness. It is the culture that embraces God that moves towards beauty.
The reality is you and I, are part of the culture. If we influence our spheres for Christ, guess what happens to culture? The needle moves in the right direction.
In Ezekiel 22:29, we read that “The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy and have extorted from the sojourner without justice. “ Sounds familiar?
In verse 30 it says, “And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it…”
God is looking for us to stand in the gap. To stand up for His Word, His righteousness, to influence others for Him, for beauty, for His glory.
But, here was the problem in Ezekiel’s time: “but I found none.” He found no one to stand in the gap.
Should that be said of you and me? Truth be told, perhaps it is. In our retreat to the ‘Jesus and me only’ mentality, we have abandoned the gaps in our culture.
The lie I got caught up in at that movie was “I have nothing to offer.” “ Hello! David! Do you hear yourself? You who has the God of the Universe, Jesus Christ living in you, by the Holy Spirit. You, the guy who has his life verse, Galatians 2:20 inked on his chest. You have nothing to offer? Where did you get such nonsense?”
Acts 17:23-28 is a great passage about God determining the exact times and places we should live. You and I are alive in this time of history for a reason and purpose far beyond our personal comfort.
Three things help influence our spheres based on this passage in Acts.
1. Know the people around you.
Every person around you wants to be seen, heard and loved. They are in this season of life searching for what and who they don’t know, but you do. It is God who will meet them the best. Take time to introduce them to Jesus.
2. Know your place.
Whether you live in town, or in the country, get to know your place. What does your place offer? What makes your place happen? Is there a university nearby? Does your town offer certain services or even tourist attractions that promote the well-being of your local culture.? Your neighbors across the street, beside you, across the hall. They are there in this season and time for a specific reason. That reason involves you.
3. Know your passion.
All honesty here, if you have more passion for your favorite sports team (or whatever trips your trigger) than you do for Jesus, that could very well be a sign that you need to realign your priorities and passions. God used my mentorless young adult years to place in me a passion for reaching the next generation for Christ. It’s like it’s branded on my soul. Until I have no more strength, I pray that in one way or another, my passion for mentoring will be rooted in my unstoppable passion for Christ.
I’ll close with an illustration I heard.
A man who loved Jesus had a friend who didn’t know Jesus. Every time he saw his friend, he’d shine his 650-lumen flashlight directly into the eyes of his friend. (The flashlight represents the light of the Gospel.) Of course, his friend was temporarily blinded by the intensity of the light. After a while, his friend began avoiding him. Who wants a light so close to his eyes?
Later on, the man who loved Jesus realized that his own entire life needed the light of the Gospel. The man took his flashlight and pointed it in the path he was going. He met up with his friend and instead of blasting the light in his face, he illuminated the path ahead. Guess what the friend did? He walked with this man and over time came to see Jesus in all aspects of his life.
Stewardship of our spheres of influence is measured by faithfulness and obedience.
Warrior On!
David Riffel is the Founder and Executive Director of www.Mentoring-Warriors.com. Having gone through his warrior years (18-30) essentially without a mentor, God has placed in him a heart for warriors, to come alongside them in various ways as they figure out life. David’s newly released book, Mentoring Warriors: Coming Alongside Young Men 18-30, outlines principles for mentoring and gives advice for warriors in six key areas of life: self-management, life skills, education/career, relationships, faith, and identity.
