What difference have I made

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Why does my opinion matter?

Just why does what I say, post on Facebook, comment in WordPress (and all social media), agree/disagree with others, change my profile picture to (or not), stay silent … why does all that matter?  Why should anyone be looking at “my stuff” and think it good or bad, clean or unclean, right or wrong – simply because I am a Christian?

Why does what I say or not say, how I say it, with what tone of voice and mannerisms … why does that matter simply because I am a Christian?  Why should I get “picked on” simply because I am “a Christian”?  In a period of living where there is so much instant messaging, so many ways to be heard, so many being heard, so many adding instant messages, thoughts, opinions, pictures, colours and sounds – why should what “I” say and do “matter”?

Am I the only one who finds irony in this?

That well-worn frustration of “we are not being heard” as a Church, as Christians, as a faith … that is at odds with posting something virulent  (or amazing!) and then being pilloried (or “shared”) across the globe (for the very same words no one sees/hears)?

My voice and your voice matter.

The Jesus I love did not say and do stuff to go viral.  The God Soft Hands Jesus I know and love just “did stuff” and ”said stuff” because He was Jesus.  And He did that with a generosity of spirit and love (that I am so blown-away by – that I write about Him almost every day!).  He means that much to me – He has changed me that much.

Jesus was just one man.  Who walked and taught for just three years.  But who was Jesus His whole life.  There was no “on-bible” or “off-bible” with Jesus.

Jesus took twelve under His wing.  Even as He held, and holds, the whole of creation in His Love.  Jesus did not try and go viral.  Jesus did not ponder what would be listened to or not listened to.  What would be seen or not seen.   What would be a great message or a message needing “some more work first.”

Jesus did not hold strategy sessions, marketing meetings, organise annual conferences, develop faith schools, admin and a hierarchy – all the stuff of a “new institution”.  Neither did He ignore the existing institutions.  Nor did He dismiss anything or anyone.  The “excluded” beliefs.  Not in a personal connection.  He simply invited: Follow me.  Above all else love Me.  Love each other always.  Sin no more.

And we have been picking that apart ever since.  Trying to make it “one size fits all”.  Trying to make it “easy”.  Splitting the atom into ever-more denominations.  Ever more faiths.  Ever more differences.  And then complaining about not being heard.

I think we are being heard.  I think we each matter.  And the very reason we think we don’t think we are and we do – is because “we are and we do”.  It’s just that we don’t control “the message” as we want to.

And we don’t have the choice of “on-bible or off-bible”.  Everything we do – each of us – all the time – every day – even as we sleep – all of that matters to Someone.

(Have you ever considered what would happen if your post went viral?  How much time would be taken in answering (or ignoring) comments?  How much energy would you invest in being polite (because not being polite would not look good)?  How many comments would disagree with your post – and how would you handle that?  How little of your life would be left as you attempted to make each commenter feel important by responding quickly?  How many would you make feel small by responding quickly without reflecting?  How your loved ones would feel as you spent (even more) hours on WordPress?  How much you would NOT write because of that post?  How much time you WOULD lose with your Lord because of that post?  How many you might lose to the Lord because of how you handled the aftermath?)

I have had some very precious feedback in the three years I have been trying to “take dictation from GSHJ”.  I know He matters.  I know He changes lives.  I know He does that.

How many lives have I changed, what difference have I made … ?

How many, Paul – how many – come on – don’t tease … ?

One.

Just me.

That’s who has changed.

(after that … who’s counting … and why?)

15 thoughts on “What difference have I made”

  1. Reblogged this on Just me being curious and commented:

    I met someone at the weekend. They said they would have a look at my “stuff”. This is for them.

    Because over at Church Set Free, there is not just my stuff. There is other stuff. Because you might not get on with my stuff – but you might fall in love with “their stuff”. And all this stuff is not “my stuff”, or “their stuff” … all this stuff is His stuff.

    We just try and listen good. 🙂

    Thank you –

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  4. Right on brother Paul! I have learned, just like you and other brothers and sisters that when the Holy Spirit says to “do,” we just do! He doesn’t tell us what He is going to do with our act of obedience, He is just asking that, to do according to faith and just to believe that if He says this is the course of action He wants you to take then He has some “master plan” for our obedience. I ask questions of my Lord, but I do not question Him, His motives for asking me to “do!”
    You know brother, it’s human nature, carnal nature to want applause and accolades and such. It makes my flesh feel real good that I or my work is desired and I would put forth that there is probably nothing terribly wrong with wanting a little affirmation or confirmation that what I am doing is touching hearts, but Jesus is our ultimate EXAMPLE on how we should be and how the flesh should be subject to the spirit. You don’t see places written down in the Bible, that Living Word, where He has gathered His disciples around Him and asks them to “critique” His preaching or teaching!! He spoke with authority and He only spoke what the Father told Him to speak; He said that Himself!
    If WE who are His are to be obedient and to walk in that same Spirit, the Spirit He has promised each of us, then we need to speak what the Father (or the Holy Spirit of the Father) tells us to speak and we don’t NEED that affirmation or confirmation because that DOES come from the Lord, Himself.
    But, not to beat a point to death, we are frail in nature, it is our constant battle, fighting what we know should be our way of doing and wanting a little “pat on the shoulder (ego).” The flesh or the spirit, the spirit or the flesh? Well for this moment in time, I choose the spirit and in the spirit of love and fellowship I tell you that it was a great message and exhortation brother!!!
    Love you in Christ!!! God Bless!!

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    • “Well for this moment in time, I choose the spirit and in the spirit of love and fellowship I tell you that it was a great message and exhortation brother!!!”

      Roland, your words always make my heart “light filled”. Thank you. And – I have just remembered – we are to build each other up. Not sure where the “likes” and “comments” count sits within that concept. Other than connection. And your words allow me to be more connected to my Father.

      And this post could be taken by anyone to be connected with anything I and they have already discussed. And that is true. Yet these words were ejected from both a weekend conference of “God in the digital age”, and a few of the words and pictures I have seen in the horror in Paris. The “punchline” of this post was a complete surprise to me!

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  6. Love your thoughts, Paul. They’re the cat’s meow… 🙂

    He’s changing us from the inside-out and through each other. The reality is, we do it for an audience of One, yet, we all need each other. So glad for your voice. 🙂 Blessings.

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