A Cause for Pause

In yesterday's sermon, I shared that there are 3 things that have stuck with me about the Costa Rican brothers and sisters I met. They are:
1. Their obvious love for God.
2. Their obvious love for people.
3. Their committment to introducing people to Jesus.

We talk a lot about fulfilling the Great Commandment (love God/love people) and the Great Commission (make disciples). We talk a lot about it. But how much of it do we do? In Costa Rica, I saw (maybe for the first time in my life) what it looks like in actual practice. And it has inspired me to take a hard look at myself.

I know that a Great Commandment/Commission lifestyle will look different in the US than it does in Costa Rica. But it surely also looks differently than what is typically seen as American Christianity. So I'm asking myself some tough questions.

First, what does my life say about my love for God? I'm questioning how I invest my time, my talents, and my finances. I suspect that if I am investing these resources wisely, that it will be far more likely that my life will proclaim my love for God more boldly.

Second, what does my life say about my love for people? I'm questioning with whom I spend my time. I suspect that if I intentionally interacting with people who are different than me...who disagree with me...who see life from a completely different perspective than me, that it will be far more likely that my life will proclaim my love for people more boldly.

Third, what does my life say about the importance of introducing people to Jesus? I'm questioning my interactions with people who don't yet know Christ. I suspect that if I become more intentional about building relationships with pre-Christians, if I dare to ask people about their faith, if I simply begin inviting people to church, that it will be far more likely that introducing people to Jesus with become a normal part of life.

Maybe you want to take this journey with me. It's not an easy journey. But nothing that's worthwhile is easy. I have seen others fulfill the Great Commandment/Commission. And I want to join them.