Over the last few months, God has been revealing many different faces of pride to me. Things that I previously had not linked to pride-fulness, have now been clearly shown to be pride masquerading in my life. It’s been a humbling time. None the less, I am so grateful to finally see this truth. It’s also led me to really search my motives. I am now asking God in each moment, “Is this yet another form of pride?”
I wonder how often you take a reflective moment and turn the mirror of your heart inward to see what shows up? No, we shouldn’t be overly focused on ourselves, but how will we ever know our own heart motives if we never grant the Father an opportunity to evaluate us?
I see so many of us just walking out life, completely unaware that our actions and our in-actions affect others. These also affect how others view the Kingdom of God. Now that should be a sobering point. How do you want people to see the Kingdom through you?
We are responsible for ourselves. I keep stating this because it continues to be true. We are responsible for managing ourselves. We were not called to manage the world. We were not called to judge the world, no, there is One Judge. We are called to share the gospel in every nation. That begins right here, right now. That begins at home. That begins in your place of work and your local church. It’s not something to just hold to yourself unless you go on a mission trip. I have grown so weary of those who only share their walk with God to those in other countries, yet walk around their home town hiding from the responsibility and privilege of being a light there too.
America needs Jesus. They have seen through the fake Christianity some groups boast. They have seen through the hypocrisy and they are asking, “What is real?” We should be the first to show them. Not in an online rant about how terrible they are, not in a judgmental glance or comment, but by treating people in America with the same grace and compassion that we treat those in third world countries when we head out to serve on the mission field.
This is my passion. This is my platform. America needs Jesus.
For far too long we have let the many faces of pride darken our hearts toward the need right in front of us. We need to muster up the courage and humility to work for the Kingdom right here first. In the same way that the airline reminds us to place an oxygen mask on ourselves first, we must breathe life into our own country. We must not forsake it.
I am not in any way speaking against missions. I am not diminishing the importance of spreading the gospel to those nations. But I am trying to remind everyone that we also have a country that needs Jesus. I remember, as a kid, being very confused about why people only shared Jesus with others when they went on mission trips. I honestly remember being in elementary school and having that thought.
We can do this! We can share now, today. We can share here in America. There will be a great revival. The only question is, will you be a part of it?
Therefore, 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. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20
365 Days in the Presence 