What Happened to Us?

What happened to us? This isn’t a rhetorical question, but an important, relevant one in which all authentic followers of Christ should ask themselves. Because right now, many of us are bearing no fruit. We are supposedly planted in the fertile ground of grace and salvation, but our lives don’t reflect it. We aren’t standing on the promises; we just sitting on the premises.

We’ve traded courage for comfort. We used to stand firm in front of evil, willing to be burned at the stake, pulled apart by horses, beheaded or starved to death. Now we’re afraid to even  speak up when we see greed, sexual immorality, and pride publicly promoted on Facebook. Our lives aren’t at stake, only our social status or country club memberships. Yet we say nothing.

We love, but only when we have time. We forget to give our neighbor grace when his dog poops on our lawn for the umpteenth time when we should be willing to give him our kidney. We see others as inconveniences instead of thirsty souls. And then we act surprised when our children do the same.

Our appendages have shrunk. As the hands and feet of Christ, we used to reach into the slums, the back alleys, the prisons, the schools, and the hearts of of the lost, but now we barely reach out of the church. Our arms are only long enough to deposit into our own pockets; our legs barely strong enough to carry our own needs.

Instead of praying for others, we are preying on others. It’s no surprise we neglect or take advantage of our co-workers–we do the same thing to our spouses and families. We are no longer fishers of men, but simply keepers of the aquarium. We are shepherds who feed only themselves.

What happened to us? We once loved deeply, prayed earnestly, hoped recklessly, cried joyfully, spoke powerfully, ran diligently, and believed wholeheartedly. We were movers of mountains, beacons of faith, and shining lights in which even the blackest darkness could not overcome. We were His.

But here’s the thing…

We ARE His. Always have been. We just need to get over ourselves. Or around. Or under. Or do whatever it takes for there to be more of Him and less of us. God’s plan involves us, but isn’t about us. When we remember that, special things will start to happen again.