Meeting new people and getting to know your neighbors is a great ministry opportunity but it can also be a risky thing. You just don’t know how different your neighbors are or how different their values are. Yet we are called to love those around us and to show Christ to them….and how can you really do that without getting to know people.
This week I was reminded of this risk as I heard Sophie take the Lord’s name in vain. And I don’t mean saying, “Oh my God”. It was even worse, in my opinion. She looked at some cookies, Halloween cookies to be exact, we had just made and said, “Oh Loward Jeeeesus, those are awesome!” I was so taken back by it but I knew exactly where she had heard it. From our new friend we had just met and were playing with. I heard her say the Lord’s name in vain several times and I warned Mitchell that she might not know who God is or how that using his name loosely like that is not something that shows love towards God. Our friend had said “Lord Jesus”, “God” and “Lord!” a number of times but I was trying to give it some time before I shared with her some of our house rules. We had only known her for a an hour and I really didn’t want to scare her away. But when Sophie came out with that I had to address it immediately.
Figuring the answer already but wanting to be sure, I asked Sophie if she was talking to the Lord Jesus when she called out his name. She said, “No.” So I explained to her why we don’t say God’s name in ways when we’re mad or even excited. How He’s the most important person in the entire Universe and we don’t throw his name around without having purpose in it…only when talking to Him directly or talking about Him to someone else.
She listened carefully. Our new friend was listening intently and finally she looked at me and said, “I say that all the time. So does my stepbrother.” I had a quick moment to explain softly to her that we don’t say that in our house. Mitchell pipes up in the background and he says to the girl, “Don’t worry, I used to say it too. But I don’t any more.” It humbled me so fast in my almost super spiritual tracks. It brought me back to the same scenario with a neighbor boy back in GA. He took God’s name in vain several times and I finally pulled him aside and explained to him why that was not a good thing. Mitchell had picked it up by the end of the day and said it a few times after that. We walked him through the same thing and he finally understood. So he was bringing this up again and so humbly and innocently shared with our new friend how he once had done the same thing. There’s something beautiful about that kind of openness. Childlike innocence. Humility. Not afraid to say out loud you actually sin. Man, I can learn so much from my cussin’ kids.
These things remind me that spirituality is indeed messy. It can involve picking up, as if a contagious virus, dirty things like cussing, arguing, and lying. Many times it’s just our own sinful nature and desires. Other times it’s the direct influence of others. Guarding ourselves from these influences is necessary but alienating ourselves from people with these issues is not the answer. Instead, praying for opportunities to share Christ in our neighborhoods and work places will help us fulfill the great commission. It will require setting aside fears, letting go of some control and having lots of conversations with your kids and your kids’ friends. And when one friend comes to know Jesus personally and is given hope in the midst of their dysfunctional hell or their self sufficient, well maintained affluent hell…..it is so worth it. Because it’s exactly what we’re created for.
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