The other day, I was working out at 24 hour fitness, when I noticed a sign that said something like, "join now- we are changing thousands of lives."
As I thought about that while walking into the gym to lift weights, I began thinking about all of the organizations from Subway to Starbucks to churches to civic organizations that claim to be changing lives. I mean, even I am developing sports leagues that raise money for orphans in Africa.
Then, I flashed back to this conversation I had with a guy at a local coffee shop earlier this year. We were talking about meaning in life, and I shared with him that Jesus has changed my life. And I'll never forget his response, "So, coffee changes peoples' lives."
His statement has stuck with me because I think it reveals a lot about our culture. Everyone is claiming to have the life-changing answer out there and Jesus has become just another option for change. It's easy to get jaded and skeptical about Jesus because people have used Jesus to justify whatever they want to do so much that he is only another option like coffee to give someone energy and meaning in life.
Ever since that conversation, I have been thinking about his question: how is Jesus changing someone's life different than coffee changing someone's life?
Without going into the obvious differences, I think it really boils down to hope. The movement that Jesus brought into the world through his life, death, and resurrection and offers to all humanity is inspired by hope. When I look at the world, I often get jaded and cynical or else just self-absorbed and thinking about what kind of coffee I can buy today in view of all the problems around us from broken relationships, to hurting and lonely people, to the wars and poverty we see around us, to the pain I often feel in my own life. But when I look to Jesus, I find hope because He calls to a life bigger than my taste buds, preferences, and even cynicism, into a life given for the good of others. The more I follow Jesus and see the reality of the broken world, the more I am hopeful that more people will join us in the movement to bring hope to those in despair, love to the lonely and hurting, and faith to those who are searching for meaning in life.
Can coffee really give me that kind of hope?
Maybe the reason there are so many organizations marketing changing the world is this desire has been placed in our hearts by the Creator?
2 comments:
i love this and i love having this hope!!! the mama
to some who have come to know Jesus, it seems like the answer to so many problems in life is right in front of us. It is challenging to walk alongside someone who doesn't know Jesus and are struggling in life, knowing that everything they are looking for and asking about can be found there. His word Is truth, as history proves.
I remember being aprehensive about accepting Jesus; being afraid of living in his will. Thinking "Wow" those people are strange and having to die to myself??? That sounds really scary. The reality of being a christ follower is that this happens every day. So, while many americans NEED their daily starbucks, I have come to know that I need my daily Jesus.
Paul addresses the issue of false preachers in Colossians as a sort of necessary evil, he doesn't agree with their teaching, but allows that they are creating interest in the life of Jesus. It's like the marketing power of internet "buzz." If anything with cultural relevance is doing the same for us, can we be thankful that at some time we might get to be shepards to guide those people looking. That's exciting.
That aside, I have to agree that our world picture is much smaller than reality and "changing lives" always sounds good to a society lookng for a cause and meaning in life.
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