Missing the Point

Light gives of itself freely, filling all available space. It does not seek anything in return; it asks not whether you are friend or foe. It gives of itself and is not thereby diminished. ~Michael Strassfeld

I recently bought a book from Barns and Noble titled “generation ME” that paints a very accurate picture of how individualistic our generation is, how “me” centered our mindset really is. This book challenged me and shook me because at the very core of the Gospel is the opposite of this. How can we be Kingdom bringers if we think and live this way? Since we are living in the “Me” culture I’m just wondering if perhaps our individualistic, consumeristic, western minds have distorted the once pure term and act of serving, and just perhaps we’re missing the point? Maybe we need to re-think this whole thing, just maybe we need to start from the beginning and ask what is it after all, what is serving? What are the origins of this term?

Luke 10
25On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 26"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" 27He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.

Here in the text Jesus adds something that we cannot miss, for thousands of years the Jewish nation was instructed to love the lord, to obey his commands, however Jesus now begins to fulfill the call on his life as he helps his audience see that its not just about the vertical, its also about the horizontal line of love. This prayer, is what good Jews would say 3 times a day, and then Jesus adds the final part of “love your neighbor as yourself.” When we are rooted in the identity of servants we serve, God and those around us.

28"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." 29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.' 36"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" 37The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

As Jesus told this story you can only imagine how angry the Jews were who heard this, for this wasn’t just any story! Jews hated Samaritans and believed that they couldn’t do anything right, for they were half breeds, and when a Jew would even say the word Samaritan he or she would spit on the ground to get that word off their “chosen” lips. Also within the story we see Jesus intentionally highlight two of the most religious groups within Judaism, a Priest and a Levite. Two people that their culture looked onto and believed that they had it all together, which brings us to a question. Is it possible to look and act religious and completely miss the point? Is it possible to say the right things, read the right books, hang with the “right” people and consistently miss opportunities to love those around you?
So what is serving?
Serving has to become something we are, not something we do. I love this passage in Luke because it’s clear that the Good Samaritan served on his way, served as he was traveling. He didn’t look on his calendar and see that it was Saturday and thus it meant it was time to go serve. No! He was on his way, doing his life and there on the “other side” was a person he could love, a need he could meet, and he met it.
Serving is not just something that we do, serving is who we are!
Being a servant is part of our Identity because it was HIS identity, and as members, heirs, servants in the Kingdom we live a life of service because that is what this Kingdom is all about. Jesus was clear about this, “I did not come to be served, but to serve” how about you? How about me?

I am continually frustrated with Christmas, because we miss the point; we miss the chance to recalibrate our lives and lifestyles to that of Christ. Instead of our 1st question being who did you serve, our 1st question is what did you get? Do you see this?

Maybe we can stand out in a culture of “me” thinking and re-claim what this season is all about, and stand for what Christ was all about.

The hero is the one who kindles a great light in the world, who sets up blazing torches in the dark streets of life for men to see by. The saint is the man who walks through the dark paths of the world, himself a light. ~Felix Adler

Lets be a light this Christmas season!

Merry Christmas.

Jon