Clay in the Hands

I catch myself often speaking negatively about the culture in which we live.  It is easy to become frustrated by the lack of recognition and acknowledgement of objective truth within our culture.  We are bombarded by media and news reports that tell us that the greatest good in our world today is tolerance.  If tolerance is the only thing that matters, then it wins out when it comes to disagreement as to what is true – being tolerant of another view takes precedence over what is inherently true.

While I hold diligently to the reality of objective truth, I also know that if we are to fulfill our mission to make disciples in this generation, then we must adjust our strategy.  Notice I did not say adjust the truth – but rather, adjust our strategy.  If we are to reach and influence our culture, we must do so with love and humility.  This shouldn’t be earth-shattering news – it is the method Jesus used.

Yesterday, I received a book from a dear friend.  The book is one of Dallas Willard’s many works entitled, The Allure of Gentleness:  Defending the Faith In the Manner of Jesus.  One of the things Willard says in this book is “the call to ‘give an account’ is, first, not a call to beat unwilling people into intellectual submission, but to be the servant of those in need, often indeed the servant of those who are in the grip of their own intellectual self-righteousness and pride, usually reinforced by their social surroundings.”

We are called to make disciples.  We are also called to be the servant of all.  I would suggest that while this call to be a servant is especially true within the family of God, it is also true when it comes to relating to our world.

So today, instead of sitting back and passing judgement on a culture that frustrates us, perhaps we make time to simply sit and listen.  To engage someone in an honest, spiritual conversation that is free of contempt.

The truth that the world will know we are his disciples by our love is as relevant today as it was the day Jesus said it.

Hold fast to his truth today – but do so with humility and love.

Be a blessing!