Christian Lockjaw

Well, Christmas is finally over. I doubt that we’re the only family that has to wait until January to hold our family Christmas. That’s what we did the first weekend of this New Year. This is probably the earliest we’ve had it in many years. It’s just too hard prior to the New Year. With all the activities of schools, churches, relatives on the other side of the family, combined with the fact that everyone wants to be in their own home on Christmas, it’s just easier to wait until after the holidays.

We had a great time with the entire family able to assemble and enjoy one another’s company for a couple of days. God allowed us great traveling weather in both directions as we all made our way to Bloomington this year.

While there I was able to get in a couple rounds of golf, play several games of bowling, and I even did some duck hunting. I did all that and never left the living room to do it. It was all done across the TV with the Wii program. The graphics are great! Somehow that machine knows how you bowl in an actual alley! My ball always curves to the left – it did the same on the game. I can’t say the same for the golf game. Again, the graphics are great but in one round I parred the course. I’ve never done that at any other time in my life!

It was fun and entertaining but it was all pretend. I didn’t walk a golf course, I didn’t slide down a bowling alley, and I never picked up a shotgun. I have to wonder if our Christian life is like that at times. Do we go through the motions of being Christian without any of the real challenges that come with it? It’s easy for us to live out our Christian life without ever making much effort to reach those around us.

I’ve been thinking about this lately. Every time we choose not to share our faith with someone we have made the choice for them that they don’t want to hear about Christ and salvation. We may be right; if fact, we probably are right. That person next door, your brother-in-law, or the guy working next to you probably doesn’t want to hear about what is required for salvation. But, do we really have the right to make that choice for them?

I know that freedom of speech applies to everyone except a Christian in the work place. And I know that we have to be careful – after all we don’t want to offend anyone, right? But, I’m beginning to believe that we have carried that a little too far. We’ve taken it to the level where we simply share our faith with no one. But, didn’t Christ command us to, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19,20. If so, and it certainly appears that way, we need to get over our Christian lockjaw and at least tell someone what Christ did for us, and for them. Together let’s make 2009 the year we share our faith with at least one person a month. What do you think? Are you in? .