With Christmas right around the corner I thought it a good idea to talk about Jesus, but maybe not in the traditional coming of the Messiah sense. What are some things that come to mind when you think of Jesus? Some common things for many could be: savior, love, compassion, servant leader, emmanuel, son of God, and teacher. Maybe there are others that come to mind for you.
One thing that I was thinking about recently in regards to Jesus is, disrupter. When I think of this word I immediately think of disrupting an industry to bring a new way of approaching something that goes against the traditional approach. It goes against tradition but in a way that is better for everyone involved, such that it changes the game in that industry and sets a new standard. This can excite some and upset others.
Jesus was a disrupter. He was disrupting the old ways of thinking and doing life. Not only life but religion. Why do you think the Jews were ultimately the ones that wanted him executed? He challenged the old ways and told them that there is a new way. And not only that THERE IS a new way, but that HE IS the new way. And salvation is a gift not just for Jews but also Gentiles.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:17:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
And throughout the sermon on the mount as recorded in Matthew 5-7, Jesus lays out the new standards, he brings the Kingdom of God to earth so we may see how God wants us to live. Jesus was criticized for his claims to be the son of God and to have the authority to forgive sins and set new standards. But his mission wasn’t to bring comfortable words that people could accept or reject. No, he came to disrupt the old ways and deliver truth in a way that could help us understand God’s standards. And he didn’t care if you liked what he had to say or not.
This is the message I wanted to focus on today. As men of God and followers of the way of Jesus, we need to be willing to be disrupters. We need to be willing to stand up and say the things that others may not want to hear in accordance with God’s word and the Holy Spirit's leading in our lives. Jesus didn’t stand by, he stood up. That is our calling as men of God and spiritual leaders in our homes and communities.
What does this mean practically:
Speak up!
Now listen, Jesus wasn’t in the business of attacking and belittling others. He approached his messaging with love and compassion and a genuine desire to help and guide people. He didn’t avoid the hard stuff and neither should we. But how you address situations and people goes a long way. The more you point the finger and come across in an aggressive manner, the less likely your message will be heard or accepted in any sort of constructive way.
If you want a guide, look in scripture. Read about how Jesus addressed situations and people. His message was accepted by so many because he spoke with love and compassion. I love this quote by John Maxwell (maybe originally someone else but I heard it from him):
“People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”
Isn’t that so true for us? Think about a time when you have been given a hard word of correction by someone. Maybe think of multiple examples from different people, isn’t it true that in most cases the correction from the person who you have a closer relationship with has been accepted better than that from someone else. This is most likely due to the fact that that close relationship is built on trust and respect. That person has shown you many times that they have your best interests in mind and they have your back. With that, it is easier to receive a difficult word. The same goes for addressing others.
You may not always have time to build a really strong, close relationship with someone before speaking up about something, but the way you approach it can speak love, compassion, and respect in a way that makes it easier for them to receive.
Now don’t get me wrong, people can process things differently, and no matter what approach you take they can still get mad and be closed off to receiving. At the end of the day, as long as you have rooted your words in truth and followed the prompting of the Holy Spirit, you have obeyed and it is not your responsibility to control how they receive. The same is true of Jesus, there were many people that didn’t like his message. Do you think that made him rethink his message? nope. The truth is still the truth and it needs to be told.
Sometimes being a disrupter doesn’t always mean speaking up. It can also mean opting out.
Opt Out!
There are many things we do in society that are accepted by the masses but do not align with God’s word. One (of the many) examples is, premarital sex. For all intents and purposes, our society laughs at the fact that someone would be in a consensual relationship and avoid having sex until marriage. But as Christians we are held to a higher standard and we know that we need to stand firm in truth.
Now, this is just one example. I have found that the Holy Spirit does a pretty good job of prompting us to “opt out” of certain things in accordance with God's word. It is our job to listen to those promptings. God’s word tells us:
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” - Romans 12:2
And in 1 Thessalonians 5:19 we are told, "Do not quench the Spirit."
Basically this means, we can be prompted and basically ignore that prompting. Don't do that! (easier said than done sometimes, I know)
So, in order to not be conformed to this world we must be willing to be disrupters. As we celebrate the coming of Jesus let us not forget that he came to disrupt the old and bring in the new way. Let us follow that example by speaking up when we need to speak up and opting out when we need to opt out.
God bless!
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