Scripture reference: 11 Corinthians 3:16-18
In my life my greatest deterrent from dealing with people who are in the “margins,” (destitute, handicapped, trapped in the sins of this dark world, dirty, repulsive, neglected etc.) is my own “aura” of righteousness. It’s not an aura that I want to carry around with me, but I think in many ways I do. As a Christian wife, mother and “church-goer,” it is a danger I face that I project a “holier-than-thou” disposition and am perceived that way by others. This makes me sad because I know I have no righteousness of my own, but only that which the Lord covers me with….His own!
In my prayers I ask God to help me overcome this impression on others, because it’s not how I want to be and I surely believe it is not how God wants His children to be, in actuality or in the perception of how we seem to be to others! This perception puts up a “wall” that discourages any trust and interaction between us and those we’d like to befriend and interact with more naturally and comfortably, (for them, as well as ourselves!)
In the affluent society we live in, if the Christian has been blessed materially, this too adds to the “wall” that those less materially blessed view negatively, thus increasing their perception of “why would they care anything about me?!”
We have a preacher, new to our congregation, who so passionately is reminding us there are two things God wants! He wants people to be saved by His gospel, and those saved to be changed into the likeness of His son, Jesus Christ, and do what He did! The only way I can overcome this barrier I feel between me and the precious people I contact daily is through totally surrendering my will and ways to the Spirit of Christ and let Him change me to be like Him, putting people at ease, and helping me to be a warm, loving, genuinely caring person they can trust. Through prayer I believe the Lord will respond to us to be more like Him in this and to help remove the wall that is so much of an obstacle!
My husband was a coach for many years at high school and then university level. He coached athletes from many varied walks of life, one in particular from a home and town where she had been abused cruelly, both mentally and physically. To say she was unappealing would be stating it kindly. Yet she was a gifted athlete in a specific area. Our interest grew in her and we attempted to be in her life and help her. She was like an ill-treated puppy: dejected, cowering, untrusting, suspicious, and beaten down. My initial involvement was to take her shopping for a dress for an athletic awards banquet.
Now this “wall” I’m writing about was very apparent in this experience, but I was determined to overcome it, and by God’s grace, in this case, it happened and we had a break-through, to His glory and ultimately to the salvation of this precious soul! She became so interested in the Christian walk of life she decided she must read the Bible, God’s word, and provided with one, she devoured the entire book from Genesis through Revelation in one long weekend! And on the following Sunday my husband, her coach, was blessed to baptize her into Christ! I was blessed to assist in her baptism as she prepared and then came up out of that watery grave to a new life in Christ. I’d like to say her on-going life has always been easy after that, but as we all live in this fallen world we aren’t promised a life problem-free, but a life where God sees us through the problems. I believe her faith-walk will carry her though the particular challenges she continues to face daily.
I look at this experience as one God used in my life to remind me He can break down barriers, when we let Him, that keep us from being His hands and His heart and His outreach to others!
My prayer from a verse from the precious hymn, “Have Thine Own Way, Lord:”
Have thine own way, Lord, have thine own way!
Hold o’er my being absolute sway!
Fill with Thy Spirit till all shall see Christ only, always living in me!
Jan McCoy
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