The Beautiful Branding

We are called to love our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are called to lay down our lives for them as Christ has laid down His life for us. Most often we think of missionaries and martyrs when this topic comes up. After all, aren't they the ones day in and day out laying down their lives to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Yes, that is true. And I am so grateful for all these men and women who have been called to that capacity.

But sometimes laying down our lives is a bit more subtle. I have been thinking on this topic a lot recently, and even the sermon at church on Sunday tied in. (in a strange Rachel's Mind sort of way.:) The preacher spoke on the Great Commission in Matthew 28, and about how we are called to spread the love of Christ wherever we are. We can "go," "baptize,", and "teach," but the base-line of it all is that we share Christ with others. This is something I've been convicted of recently in my life. Through God's grace I try to live a life pleasing to Him. I try to be a good testimony through my blogs, and other places. But how many times have I personally shared the Gospel with someone?

I ask myself that question and my mind blanks out. Have I? Have I? Yes, I have spoken of Jesus to perfect strangers before, but I cannot bring to mind a time I've actually told someone the Gospel on my own, apart from any event where that was my mission. Just an everyday conversation with someone, telling them about the great Love that has saved me. It pains me to realize and confess that. True, some of it is because I've been blessed to live in and associate with a group of people who already love Jesus and I haven't had many opportunities to have in-depth conversations with unbelievers. But that isn't an excuse. I need to look for opportunities to share my Savior with others. How can I keep from singing this glorious news?

That was Part One of the thoughts going through my mind. But the other part was loosely connected and reverts back to laying down our lives for others. I went from thinking about telling others about Christ to living for Christ. This means sacrificing our will, our dreams, our comfort and giving it over to Jesus so that He can make it perfect and beautiful through our brokenness.

It happens in life, sometimes, that we feel the Lord's hand in a situation and we move forward and our hopes and dreams run ahead of us and suddenly we come up against a wall. The door is shut. There is no way through that wall for us. We turn around and see Jesus standing there behind us.

"Lord, why would You have me do this thing only to make me turn around and go back the way I came?"

That is the temptation. And yet do we stop and wonder if, perhaps, our walking that far along that path was a way we were laying down our lives for others? It could be. Have we told Christ that the only way He can use us is if things turn out the way we want them to? Are we willing to be used to minister to another, to help the Lord accomplish His plan in another's life even if it doesn't appear to benefit us? Even if it seems it might hurt us?

Because I know that Jesus has a plan for my life, for your life. And He will use those situations to mold and shape us further into His image. His mercies are sharp, but tender. His ways are narrow but so perfect. Are we willing to be marked with His plan? It is a beautiful branding, but a branding all the same, and it might sting at times. We might "get nothing" out of a situation, have to turn around and go home and start from scratch. But if we were being used by Christ, He was still in the details. He brought you forth and He will bring you home.

I don't mean to make Jesus seem to take pleasure in wounding us. No! But are we willing to love our brothers this way? In the laying down our life for a friend? It's a sharp question that demands a quick throb from the thorn of Love planted in our hearts. A sweet, broken pain that heals as it cuts....

"Oh, bless our God, you peoples!

And make the voice of His praise to be heard,

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Who keeps our soul among the living,

And does not allow our feet to be moved.

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For You, O God, have tested us;

You have refined us as silver is refined.

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You brought us into the net;

You laid affliction on our backs.

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You have caused men to ride over our heads;

We went through fire and through water;

But You brought us out to rich fulfillment."

~Psalm 66:8-12