Week 37: Let Your Light Shine

"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matt. 5:14-16

Over the last few weeks, I've tried to forget the various evangelism formulas and strategies that I've been taught while taking a fresh look at what Jesus said about our role in helping others to know God. It turns out there are not seven easy steps to win people to Christ. There are only two steps. They are, however, perhaps not so easy.

Step One: Joyful Suffering

Jesus commands us Christians to live our lives in such a way that when others look at us they will glorify our Father in heaven. Jesus says, "let your light shine." Which, begs the question, what light? The answer, Jesus says, is that "You are the light of the world." In other words, letting your light shine is not about being something you're not. It's about being what God designed you and destined you to be. "You are the light!" Why would your light cause people to glorify God? Because God in you is the source of your light. What does all that mean in practical terms?

This passage of the Sermon on the Mount comes just after Jesus has given the beatitudes. The closest beatitude in proximity to this passage is: "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matt. 5:11-12. I think what Jesus means when he says "let your light shine" is exactly what he suggested in the final verses of the beatitudes. Rejoice and be glad in the midst of insults and persecution and life's inevitable hardships. In other words, why would God be glorified by our joy in the midst of happy prosperous circumstances? Aren't even ungodly people joyful when all is right with their world? But, when we face hardships and difficulties and still have joy as a result of God in us, then God is glorified.

We shouldn't be surprised, then, that when we ask God to make us lights in our community or our workplaces that we face difficulties. God's light in us shines most brightly in the darkest of circumstances. The Apostle Peter put it this way:

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

1 Peter 4:12-14. So, here is step one, in God's easy plan for winning people to Christ: suffer joyfully. That's probably not going to sell many books, but there you have it. It's God's plan; not mine.

How can we have joy in the midst of difficulties? The answer, Jesus says, is, "because great is your reward in heaven!" What awaits us in heaven? The presence of our Lord. When He becomes more precious to us than anything else, then we have a joy that will last in the midst of hardship. Then, our lives will be a light to the world.

Step Two: Joyful Surrender

Jesus says, "Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds . . . ." Jesus is not saying that our good deeds by themselves will cause others to glorify God. Our good works are not the light. Good works are meaningless, unless they are done in the glow of God's light.

On the other hand, our "good deeds" are a necessary part of God's plan. When you follow Jesus and love Him, He demands that you take part in His work. What does it mean to take part in God's work? What I've discovered over the last thirty-six weeks is that God commands every part of our lives. He commands our thoughts, our emotions, and actions. He commands how we relate to Him, to our families, to our church, and to the world. He has a plan and purpose for every moment of every day of our lives. Above all else, he commands us to love God and love others. Following Jesus requires nothing less than absolute and complete surrender to Him. When we joyfully surrender our lives to him realizing that He is absolutely beyond a shadow of a doubt much more than worth it, then others will see our good deeds and God will be glorified.

P.S.

I've left a few very important questions about joy unanswered. What is Christian joy? Can it be commanded? It is, by the way. And, how do we respond to God's command to be joyful? More on all that, God willing, when we get to the final week of The Project and The Project's final command: "Rejoice in the Lord always." Philippians 4:4.

Week 36: Go and Be Reconciled

"[I]f you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift." ~ Matt 5:23-24

Jesus came so that we could get right with God. He also came so that we could get right with one another. Reconciliation takes one party seeking repentance and the other party forgiving through the power of the cross. Way back in Week Two, I struggled with the command to forgive. This is the other side of things.

What should we do when we have wrongfully hurt another? "Go and be reconciled to them!" This command is a call to humble ourselves, reach out to those who we have hurt, and to repent. This is such a high priority to Jesus that he says we should take care of reconciliation before making our offerings to God.

I've been struggling with this one for a couple weeks. At first, I knew exactly what God was calling me to do, and I didn't want to do it. And, then, I did it and didn't know how to write about it without betraying another person's confidence and privacy. Back when I was dealing with repentance and confession in Weeks 3 and 6, the Spirit brought to my mind an old sin I had committed about twenty years ago against a person who was close to me at the time. It was not the end our relationship, but, looking back, it was probably the beginning of us drifting apart. We haven't talked at all in several years. When I went through the process of repentance and confession, I felt that God was calling me to reach out to this person and to apologize. I've been putting it off, dreading it. I finally made the phone call this week. To be honest, it was a rather awkward conversation, but I think it was ultimately a healing and freeing conversation for both of us.

Then, the other day, I yelled at my wife, Christina. She said something to me, which I took offense at and got angry. It had been an awful day at work, and I chose to take it out on Christina. I yelled at her in front of the boys. I think it's the first time I've ever done that. I knew right away that I had really blown it. And, it still took me about 24 hours before I apologized to her. I apologized to the boys, too. I explained to them that what I had done was wrong and that I had already apologized to Mommy. My seven year old, God bless him, said, "Yeah, Dad, I was thinking that you shouldn't talk to Mommy like that." Ugh. How low do you think that made me feel?

I can't sugar coat it. It's a terribly humbling thing to stand in front of somebody and say, "I messed up. What I did was wrong. There's no excuse for it. I know I hurt you. I'm sorry." It's a frightful thing to stand before someone you've hurt, make yourself vulnerable to them, and then hope for mercy. That is, however, exactly what God calls us to. Whether we are the wrongdoer or the one who has been wrongfully hurt, our Lord calls us to take the lead in seeking reconciliation.

Doesn't it make sense that reconciliation should be difficult and painful? Sin is a serious thing. It can't be dealt with flippantly. Jesus suffered and died so that we could be reconciled to God. The cross also gives us believers the power to be reconciled to one another. When it happens the right way, when there is humble repentance on one side and forgiveness on the other, God is glorified, and wounds are healed.

Week 35: Don't Worry About Tomorrow

"Do not worry about tomorrow." Matthew 6:34

Back in Week Five, I wrote about my first trip down Sniper Alley in Sarajevo.

I was twenty-one years old and scared out of my wits. It was the end of 1995, a few days after Christmas. I had been deployed to Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina as an Army Reservist to take part in NATO's implementation of the recently signed Dayton Peace Agreement. Sarajevo had been under siege for the last three years---the longest siege of any city in the history of modern warfare. The main boulevard through the city had been nicknamed Sniper Alley. Snipers had infamously dug in all along both sides of the road, wounding over one-thousand people and killing over two-hundred men, women and children.

Buildings all over the city were in ruins. Sarajevo had once been a developed, modern city---the home of the 1984 Winter Olympics. When I saw it for the first time, it looked like a scene from a post-apocalyptic movie.

My first stop in Sarajevo was Zetra Stadium. In 1984, it had been the home of Olympic figure skating, speed skating and hockey. Only eight years later, the roof was blown off by artillery fire. The basement was converted to a morgue. Whatever wood that could be salvaged from the building was used to build improvised coffins. When NATO arrived, the stadium was converted into a temporary barracks and headquarters. It was my home address for my first few months in Bosnia. We slept right on the spot where the bodies had been piled.

That first night in Sarajevo, there in the basement of Zetra stadium, I opened my Bible to Matthew 6, and Jesus's words came alive for me.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

Matthew 6:25-26. What a difference it made to believe that I was valuable to my heavenly Father---that His love for me was real and present and that I could trust His protection and provision. Faith rose up in me and peace came over my heart and mind.

These days, I'm not living in a combat zone. I'm a trial lawyer. For lawyers, worry is an occupational hazard. A 1990 John Hopkins study found that out of all professions studied lawyers are most likely to suffer from depression. Alcoholism and suicide are much more prevalent among lawyers than among the general population. Lawyers are also at a much higher risk of stress related illness than the general population. It's a business where you're judged on results. And, very often, the results you obtain depend on factors beyond your own control. So, how do we, as a profession, respond? We worry. We stress.

I'm no exception. I constantly struggle with worry and anxiety about my work. I've been preparing for a trial the last month and have been stressed about it. So, very appropriately, the assignment for last week was to "not worry about tomorrow."

Over the years of practicing law, I've often gone back to that lesson I learned in Sarajevo. The antidote for worry, fear and anxiety, is to turn my attention from tomorrow's problems and towards God's promises. A few nights ago, God drew me back to Matthew 6, reminded me of that night in the basement of Zetra fifteen years ago, and reminded me that His love is still very real and present for today and tomorrow. Here are some other promises that God has highlighted for me in times of stress and fear.

• "Fear not for I am with you, be not discouraged for I am your God; I will help you, I will strengthen you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand." Isaiah 41:10.
• "If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31
• "And the Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; he will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear, or be dismayed." Deuteronomy 31:8
• "The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord." Proverbs 21:31
• "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning." Lamentations 3:22-23

Week 34: Keep in Step with the Spirit

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." ~ Galatians 5:22-25

A few weeks ago, God convicted me that in my effort to obey His commands, I had committed the sin of pride. The sin isn't that I'm proud of my obedience. I'm not. If you've been reading this blog, then you know it's more about my failures than my successes. My sin has been in thinking that I could transform my life by my own power---that by sheer will power I could make myself more like Jesus. That's not just been my attitude for the last year. It's been my attitude for my whole Christian life. The truth is that I'm a proud person and like to feel self-sufficient.

God's conviction has at least given me another chance to practice repentance. And, now, a bit of confession to all of you. Maybe you noticed that The James 1:22 Project has been on hiatus for three weeks. The truth is that I've been extraordinarily busy at work and home and haven't had much time for blogging. I've also been thinking and praying about whether I should continue the blog.

Over the last couple weeks, God has repeatedly brought me back to Galatians, Chapter Five. What I've grasped (and this never sank in before) is the Apostle Paul's emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit in changing believers. Many times in my life, I've looked at the list of the fruit of the Spirit---love, joy, peace, etcetera, and resolved that I would change my life to better exemplify those qualities. What has never sunk in before is that all of those things (love, joy, peace, etcetera) are the fruit of the Spirit---not the fruit of human effort. Self-control, for example, is a fruit of the Spirit. In other words, self-control is beyond my control! I can't make myself be more self-controlled. According to Galatians 5:18, "If [we] are led by the Spirit, [we] are not under the law." It's doesn't say, "if we follow. . . ." It says, "if we are led."

The Spirit takes the initiative.

The Spirit leads us.

The Spirit changes our character.

The Spirit causes us to obey with right hearts.

We can't possibly transform ourselves. So, what are the practical implications? Is it wrong for Christians to make an intentional effort to do what the Bible says? Should we just do what feels right, depending on the Spirit to give us pure hearts? And, what does all this mean for The James 1:22 Project?

There's another side to Galatians, Chapter Five. According to Paul, we don't play a completely passive role. We are commanded to "live by the Spirit" (Gal. 5:16) and to "keep in step with the Spirit" (Gal. 5:25). God commands us (our thoughts, emotions, speech, and conduct), because we have some measure of free will. We don't have the ability to put to death our sinful nature by our own power. God does ask us, however, to choose whether we will trust and follow His plan or pursue the desires of the flesh.

I don't think "living by the Spirit" or "keeping in step with the Spirit" rules out making an effort to obey God's commands. To the contrary, I think that part of keeping in the step with the Spirit is choosing, over and over again, God's plan over our sinful desires. That, however, cannot be the end of it, or we would have a tendency to fall right back into prideful, self-reliant, legalism. To live by the Spirit means to choose, over and over again, God's plan over our sinful desires, while daily repenting of our self-reliance and confessing that we cannot conquer our sinful nature without the Spirit's power.

The James 1:22 Project continues. Stay tuned for Week 35. We're on the home stretch, with six weeks to go.

Week 33: Love Your Enemies

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others?Do not even pagans do that?" ~ Matthew 5:43-47

I'm a trial lawyer. On a daily basis, I'm engaged in an aggressive adversarial process. The idea behind the American civil justice system is that when two parties have a dispute that they are not able to resolve, instead of slugging it out or shooting it out, they will hire lawyers who will fight it out in court. Litigation is a civilized proxy for physical combat. Sometimes, however, it's not very civilized. In fact, things can become very hostile and unpleasant. I don't consider every attorney on the opposite side of a case to be my enemy. Despite the reputation of lawyers, many of them are as gracious as possible within the adversarial system. Some lawyers, however, have earned their bad reputation. And, if you're a trial lawyer, you can never forget that even the nicest lawyer on the other side is still on the other side, and his job is to defeat you.

What does it mean for us Christians to love those who oppose us? In this passage, Jesus shows us a couple of practical things that we should do. In verse 47, Jesus indicates that we ought to greet them. In other words, we don't have permission to snub or ignore those who oppose us. In verse 45, Jesus says that God causes the sun to shine and the rain to fall on the unrighteous and the righteous. In other words, God meets the physical needs of those who follow Him and those who oppose Him. If we are sons of God, then we should have the same character. So, as far as we are able, we should meet the needs of those who oppose us. In verse 44, Jesus says we ought to pray for our enemies. How should we pray for them? By following the model that Jeus gives just a few verses after commanding his disciples to pray for their enemies. We should pray for God's kingdom and will to come to the lives of those who oppose us. We should pray that God would lead them to repentance. We should pray that God would meet their needs and show us how we might help them. Finally, we should pray that God would forgive them for their sins, help us to forgive them, and forgive us for our unforgiveness.

I've always tried to be kind and courteous to opposing attorneys. For me, this passage places spiritual significance on those relationships. We ought to be kind to others, not based on a hope that cosmic karma will return that kindness to us, but out of obedience to our Lord and based on trust in Him.

This passage has also been a call to pray for my adversaries, which I've never done before this last week. As I've tried to pray for those who oppose me, the prayers have sometimes been difficult to speak. When someone has been unkind, rude or dishonest to me, it's difficult for me to wish them well. My natural tendency is to want to see them punished. I want justice, darn it!

From where does the power to sincerely bless our enemies come? I believe it comes from faith in God's justice. Several times this week, God has reminded me that He is just and that justice belongs to Him. For those of us who follow Jesus, God's justice for our sins was satisfied on the cross. As for those who reject Jesus, there will be justice for their sins also.

Week 32: Share With God's People

"Share with God's people in need. Practice hospitality." ~ Romans 12:13

Back in April and May, I spent several weeks focusing on "one another" commands: encourage one another, serve one another, offer hospitality to one another, and greet one another with a holy kiss. These commands show us the way to live out the great command to love one another. They are specific, practical instructions about how we Christians are to live together.

One thing I'll take away from The James 1:22 Project is a stronger than ever conviction that God calls Christians to have deep affection for one another and to be in deep fellowship. You can't be a Christian all by yourself. Being actively involved in a community of believers is not merely beneficial to Christians; it's absolutely essential. As Christians, we're called to share with one another everything God has given to us: words of encouragement, talents and abilities, time, and affection. The call to care for one another and share with one another extends to our physical resources, including, as we see in Romans 12:13, our homes and our money.

The Book of Acts gives us a picture of what Romans 12:13 looked like in practice in the first century church:

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 2:42-47.

Following the example of the early church in 21st century urban/suburban America is a huge challenge. The truth is that, in our church (CityLights) we're not physically "all together"---not even close. My family lives 37 miles east of the church, and other families live almost as far away to the north, west and south. As a result, authentic Christian fellowship is a huge challenge. Putting Romans 12:13 into practice takes planning and effort. For my family, it happens mostly (although not exclusively) in the context of small group life. Every Thursday evening our little band of Jesus followers (regular people with jobs and kids and other commitments) comes together to study God's word, to pray and to fellowship. It's made all the difference for Christina and me, and I'm so thankful for our dear friends in small group.

When Josie was born, we saw a great example of Romans 12:13 in practice. People from CityLights brought us meals for a month! A month of meals! And, keep in mind, we're a smallish church---only about 150 people on Sundays. Also bear in mind that we live about 45 minutes from the church. Some folks were driving over an hour to bring us a meal, and a lot of people did that twice. By the way, the food was excellent. The meals not only filled a need for us, but also made us feel loved. They made us feel, more than ever, a part of CityLights. This last week was about giving a little back to a couple families in the church---not out of a sense of indebtedness, but just because that's what Christians do.

Weeks 30 & 31: Rejoice With Those Who Rejoice; Mourn With Those Who Mourn

"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." ~ Romans 12:15

A few weeks ago, Christina and I attended a 25th wedding anniversary party for some very dear friends who have devoted their lives to loving God and His people. A couple Sundays ago we attended a baby dedication for our new niece and nephew---miracle babies that, according to medical science, should never have been conceived. No doubt these were occasions worth celebrating.

I've always tried, however, to avoid those types of occasions---the big events with a crowd of people. I'm an introvert. It's not that I don't like people; I just like them in small doses. I'm recharged by being alone or with a few close friends. I'm drained by being in a large group of people. When it comes to weddings, I always tell Christina the same stuff: "What difference does it make if I go? There's gonna' be 200 people there. Nobody will notice whether I'm there or not."

In the last few weeks, however, God has used these commands to convict me of my selfishness and self-centeredness. He's shown me how petty my rationalizing is and how pathetic my excuses. These commands (rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn) call us us Christians out of preoccupation with self and and away from self-oriented thinking.

Being comfortable isn't the point. Being noticed certainly isn't the point. In fact, maybe sometimes being uncomfortable and/or not noticed is the point. God calls us to forget about ourselves and our convenience and to join with the feelings of others.

I don't think these commands are just about attending the big events, although my perspective on weddings and funerals will probably never be the same. I think it's also about celebrating and mourning the small victories and losses suffered by others. In my life, the call to rejoice with those who rejoice is not only a call to rejoice over weddings and births, but also a call to rejoice with my son over success on a spelling quiz or over a really neat paper airplane that he's made. The command to mourn with those who mourn is a call to be there for those who have suffered a tragic loss. Sadly, last week we attended the funeral visitation for a dear friend's brother who died far too young. On a daily basis, however, the call to mourn with those who mourn is a call to be there for those who suffer smaller but still significant losses. The command is a call, for example, to sympathize with a co-worker who has just suffered through a difficult phone call with a rude and insulting person. It's a call to sympathize with my spouse who has just had a very difficult day, even though I've also had a difficult day.

Something else I've noticed is what God does not command here. He doesn't command us to give advice to those who mourn. He doesn't command us to solve the problems of those who mourn. He doesn't even call us to speak encouraging words to those who mourn. There is a time for words of encouragement, and there is a time to speak the truth in love. In choosing our words and our timing, I believe we must be guided by Godly wisdom and the leading of the Holy Spirit. But let's not forget that the right response to those who mourn is often simply to join hands with them and to share in their grief.