Inoculate Your World!

clique

n : an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose; A small exclusive group of friends

Mark 2:15-17: Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him.  And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?”  When Jesus heard it, He said to them,  “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

One thing that I have come to realize is that the church has become a clique. We have our small circle of friends--Christian of course--and no one else is allowed within our esteemed group. It's as if we fear by opening our circle to "the world" we will become contaminated by the sinners. So we continue to live our lives in our little "bubble" or sphere we have created. We become "hyperspiritual" and no earthly good to those that are on the outside of our "spiritual bubble." We forget that it is the thing inside a heart that contaminates it and not what is outside. So the church becomes an aquarium to keep out "the world" instead of a river of life that flows out and our waters become stagnant.

This became painfully apparent to me last night at my candle party. I had one person at my party who was not from my "church clique." And she didn't even really know me--I just introduced myself a couple weeks ago. Our sons have played together for months and I just never took the time to meet her and get to know her. I was content to stay safe inside my "bubble."

What good is a light if it is hidden? A cluster of candles is not as effective as ones that are scattered throughout the house. A cluster of candles will only light a small area. But candles that are spread throughout a house will bring light to the whole house. Even so, our light cannot be seen in the world if it is hidden within the walls of our church and our homes. We expect people to come to the light--but do they know where to go? We are supposed to take the light to them. Jesus took the light of the Gospel to the people. He did not stay within the confines of the temple, but took His love outside wherever He went. In fact He was often accused by the "religious people" for hanging out with sinners. Why did he hang out with sinners? Because that's who He came to save. (Mark 2:17)

When we do not open our spheres and make connections with those on the outside--we become as a religious sect. We lose touch with the outside world and have no influence with them. We become "strange" to those who are the outside looking in. We begin to get a "holier than thou" attitude and instead of creating an outlet for God to flow through, we begin to compete with one another in the church seeing who can be "more spiritual." We become spiritual hermits. We want to stay on the mountain and forget that we are supposed to be leading people to God. We become spiritually selfish--we feast at God's table becoming fat and forget that there are people that are spiritually starving who need the Bread of Life.

We should be making connections with the outside world wherever we go--in the grocery store, at the Post Office, in our neighborhood--we should know our neighbors, at the gas station, etc.... We should be ministering outside of the church. That's where our ministry is needed. Too many times our focus becomes turned inward instead of outward where it needs to be. We become self-centered and self-absorbed. We forget there is a bigger picture. We complain about the degradation of humanity, yet we do nothing about it. If we have Christ living inside of us, we should be transforming our world! We should be transforming our workplace, our neighborhood. Our sphere of influence needs to be enlarged. We need to get a vision for the world around us.

There's a song I learned at Sunday School as a child that I still love today. "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. All around my neighborhood, I'm gonna let it shine. Let it shine around the world, I'm gonna let it shine." This needs to be our song. We need to start letting our light shine outside of the four walls of the church. A light that is hidden is of no use. A light that is contained is of no benefit.

What would happen if instead of fearing we would be contaminated by the world, we began to inoculate the world with the love of God? The world is sick--they are looking for a cure. We have the antidote and we are keeping it all to ourselves. Now isn't that selfish? Jesus did not come for the righteous--He came for those that are sick. Even so, He is calling us to minister to those who are sick--to bind up the broken hearted and proclaim freedom to the captives. Now is the acceptable time. Now is the day of salvation. Do not say "tomorrow" for tomorrow may not come. Now is the time!