Jesus was in the world physically. He walked among sinners and lived among those whom society excluded.
And because of that, we distort this message and find comfort in being in certain places and situations that distance us from Him.
Presence of God
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”
Matthew 16:24-25
Jesus was not influenced easily. He was so rooted in God and lived out the Word so deeply that He was not swayed by His surroundings.
He did not approach these people just for the sake of it; He stayed close to teach and exhort about the word and the truth of the Gospel.
The environment never corrupted Him; instead, in the authority given by God, He transformed environments and people. The Father was with Him at all times.
He was a teacher, a brother, a friend, and an intercessor for those people, not just a companion.
Standing firm in Christ
“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.“
Ephesians 6:11
God calls us to walk alongside those thirsty for Him because, just as they are sinners, we also err and need the Lord.
But before engaging with sin and the filth of the world, we need to have the Word firmly established within us. Fighting battles without preparation is to surrender to death.
We need to feed on the Word, purify and protect our hearts in Christ, remaining steadfast in our identity with the Father and constantly preparing ourselves. Only then will we be ready to go to places that so desperately need God’s love.
How can we bring Christ to these places if we don’t even seek to have Him within us? How can we demonstrate God’s love if we don’t know Him intimately?
Carrying the light
“No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.”
Luke 8:16
Always seek discernment from the Father to know in which places He desires you to be and in which He prefers you to step away from.
Often, He will place you where you don’t wish to be, in uncomfortable places for you, but where He knows you will be a light. In other situations, He may call you to leave places you love, but which He knows may obscure the Spirit’s shine in you.
You have the light of the Holy Spirit in your heart, but there are places where it’s not your responsibility to shine. God assigns people to each situation.
For every kind of place, there’s a kind of light and a direction it should be directed towards, so it’s not swallowed by darkness and maintains its brightness.
Shaped by God
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12:2
Do not let yourself be consumed by the environment you are in. Remain steadfast in the Word and transform the environments where God has placed you.
These places and people have much to teach and can strengthen your faith, contributing to your spiritual growth. However, you also carry in your heart the Word of God to teach and nourish those who are spiritually hungry.
Know how to discern what to absorb and what to reject. Recognize the places where God puts you to learn and those where He puts you to teach. There are places that fill us up and others where we are called to overflow.
My prayer is that, in both cases, the Lord be the center, guiding and directing you.
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