Whac-A-Mole: Atheism — Wednesday
1 Corinthians 3:8-9
The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. (NIV)
On Monday and Tuesday, we talked about how our culture cultivates and perpetuates apathy laced with doubt. And it couples that with reasons why Christianity is not a solution to either, and why it’s almost a less-desirable pursuit than just pursuing nothing. So, what can we do?
As followers of Jesus, we know one of our most important roles on this earth is to help people meet and know the Jesus we know. The Prince of Peace. The humble, gracious, patient, loving, and generous God of creation. Who doesn’t need more peace, more grace, more love? Thank goodness we have those things on our side as the fruit that comes when we allow Jesus to lead our lives. But how do we start that conversation with others?
The role of a Christian in the life of an atheist isn’t to put a magnifying glass on them or treat them as some sort of spectacle to dissect and analyze. They’re broken people just like we are, and they need Jesus just as much as we did before we believed. Do you typically walk up to people and address philosophical questions randomly? I hope not! That’d be weird. Instead, consider Jesus’ method of getting people to follow Him. He didn’t sit at the synagogue and wait for them to finally walk in and make things right with Him. He put His sandals in sport mode and headed out to find them where they were, literally. Lakeside, at work, wherever they were.
If I’m being honest, I’ve never felt like I was the right choice, had the right answers, or had the strongest faith for introducing people to Jesus. Luckily the Bible addresses that in the early church, and spoiler alert: It’s not about any of that. By loving God and loving people, our life will align with Jesus’ mission. When people around us see those things, they take notice, and as a result, powerful things happen in their souls. Seeds are planted, foundations are laid. So as we draw close to Jesus and live the life He has for us, those deposits in the lives of others are a natural by-product. As our verse for today indicates, when we as Christians all do this, we are cumulatively making an impact that grows curiosity, spurs investigation, and creates fertile ground for the Spirit to work.
Wednesday’s Reflection
Are your actions and pursuits lining up with what Jesus calls us to do? If you aren’t seeing fruit in your life and the lives of people around you, perhaps you need to reprioritize a few things. Pray for God to help you in that process!
