Tuesday, 16 June 2009
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EYES THAT SEE;
As God Sees
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My Care Group served communion again tonight. There really are some people who just need to serve in ministry to others. I can't escape the fact that my life only works when I'm serving others in a ministerial capacity. I avoid serving communion as often as I can. It's so much easier for me to view most of my fellow humans as pointless idiots when I'm not serving them. That Christ died for this great fat load of losers, and I do include myself in the "fat load", is utterly beyond my comprehension. Hell Fire and brimstone is good enough for this lot. Then I go and serve communion and God opens my eyes...God always opens my eyes to see as He sees, when I serve Him, by serving people.
I am so much less prideful when I serve others. When I have to serve others I can't help but know how inadequate I am. I'm a safer person to be around when I'm serving in ministry. I have no choice, God simply opens my eyes to see people the way He wants me to see them. When I serve in ministry I often think of the atheist and laugh. That God opens my eyes to see people with love and incredible tender care is proof enough God is real. To know me outside of Christ is to know I'm an asshole. I don't mind saying it. It is the truth, plain and simple. I've been in retail management for a number of years, and one thing you quickly learn is that there are many more people who are assholes, than not. Sorry if my saying so offends, but I won't play around with the reality of things.
Without Christ I don't like people very much. In Christ I fall in love with people. It's remarkable, God enables me to see the person, not their sin, their looks, their social status, or age. God doesn't care about what we humans value. God's economy is so absolutely different from ours. It's shameful the way I think of people as piles of animated dirt sometimes; disgusting may well be a better word.
When I serve I'm open to God, and know that I am dependent upon Him for everything I'm doing. I don't know what I'm doing, so reliance upon God is necessary. Anyone who ministers in Christ's name should always have the understanding of how inadequate they are to serve God. When we are unable, then God is able.
Anyway, I love the way we serve the Lord's Table at my church. There are teams of two people at various stations in the sanctuary. One person holds part of an, uncut, loaf of bread, and the other holds two large mugs, of wine and grape juice. People come forward, tear off a piece of the bread, and dip it either in the juice or wine, as their consciences allow. As the person comes forward the person holding the bread says, "The body of Christ broken for you." The person holding the cups says, "The blood of Christ poured out for you." I was the guy holding the bread this time.
It was just blowing me away, as I looked each person in the eyes, and said, "The body of Christ broken for you." With each person who came forward the realization took hold of me more and more powerfully, "Jesus really was broken for this girl, this guy, this woman, this man, this....fill in the blank. Christ loves this person in front of me beyond my ability to understand. "The body of Christ broken for you." I got choked up as communion continued. The words, "The body of Christ broken for you," became louder and louder in my ears. The words became more and more personal for every person who came forward to be served. Jesus died for "YOU"...He died for you; you individually. The next person came to be served, and the line, "The body of Christ broken for you," and the thoughts..."Jesus cares about you, He cares about whats hurting you..." Heavier and heavier the knowledge becomes. Jesus cares about you yesterday, today, and He cares about you tomorrow.
That's how God sees everyone around us. God looks at the neighbor, coworker, stranger...whoever you can't imagine caring about, and thinks, "The body of My Son is broken for you"..."The blood of My Son is poured out for you." That's just how God sees all the people around us, all the time. I want to see people this way all the time. I want to see people with the eyes of Christ. Upon meeting the next asshole I want to think, "The body of Christ is broken for you, and the blood of Christ is poured out for you." What if we saw Barack Obama, Rush Limbaugh, or anyone else who is constantly being vilified the way God does?
Think right now, where you are..."Barack Obama, the body of Christ is broken for you, and the blood of Christ is poured out for you"...Will this change your perspective? Well, that's a stupid question...it will change your perspective. The question is, "Will it be worth it to think of Obama, Limbaugh, or Bin Laden in this way?" Do you want to look at the President of the United States differently, because it will change what you think of him. That may not serve you're political agenda, so maybe it's just too dangerous for you or I to see as God does. Still, aren't Christians supposed to allow God to open their eyes to see as He does?....Whoops, another loaded and dangerous question....
Hmmm...either I need to stay away from ministry, or I need to dive deeper in. How about you, if you're a Christian, that is? Do you need to dive in deeper or stay away? Do you like how you see the people around you, or do you really want God to give you eyes which see as His see? Just so you're warned: seeing things God's way costs us everything in life...You have to give up all you are for all He desires to make you. Might want to count the cost....
Anyway, something to think about if nothing else...eh?
May God make His face shine upon you, and peace be with you.
Lonnie
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Comments (23)
Lonnie, I've got too many tears in my eyes to write the comment this post deserves. Thank you.
@GermanWrench - Yeah, God did that to me tonight as well...it's okay.
That's beautiful. I'm the same when I volunteer at soup kitchens and stuff. When you're helping people, it's easier to smile. ♥
I've not served communion at my church, although this post makes me want to now. I think I will try to remember to say those things in my head at least when I'm around people I might not otherwise treat right.
I have served communion outside of church once. And it's one of the greatest honors I've ever had. I was teaching a bible study to a bunch of high school seniors and college students. Everything was amazing with that group, so I asked one of my pastors if I could serve communion to this group. He said I could given that they weren't all from my denomination and I wasn't in any official way acting as a leader in my church in this bible study. (Methodists don't let laypeople serve communion, we can hold it for the others as you did, but not actually break the bread and pour the wine/juice.) It was such an honor to serve them, I think it's the only way I can really express my love for them. We also did foot washing and I got to wash most of their feet.
Okay, done rambling. Anyway, thanks.
heavy (fat guy sitting at his computer w/ ugly feet farting) smiling sigh...
An outward evidence of His righteousness in us is our love and compassion for others. I want to see others as He would have me see them. It's a scary thought because it's hard to turn away from self - and I know that is the kind of fasting he has chosen - but I want to dive deeper into ministry with the purpose of glorifying Him. Emptying myself brings satisfaction in Him.
Thanks for writing this Lonnie. I had communion yesterday too and it was very powerful for me too. I wasd very focused on my own sin beging covered. Your post helped me see the power of God poured out for others too. My eyes are welled up with tears of gratitude - your writing is a blessing! Joe
As a pile of animated dirt, I find it amazing how Jesus transforms my opinions of others. It's extraordinarily difficult, but worth it - so worth it. They should know us by our love.
Ouch. Of all your posts, Lonnie, I think this one crushed my toes more than any of your others.
I used to work in ministry, full-time. I got disillusioned by it by some of the powermongering and manipulation that went on with some of the leaders, so I fell away. I've just now started going back to church, but to read this and remember what the heart of ministry truly is... it takes my breath away. No words can describe this. I've been battling for a long time whether to return to ministry or just casually go to church. The post didn't help me with the decision, but it did help me to realize that regardless, I need to look at God's people in a different light.
@petitenoirtenue - Yes, I loved my years at a local soup kitchen. It's gone now, but those were some of the happiest times in my life.
Blessings,
Lonnie
@Tom@revelife - I was raised Methodist, but haven't been in that fellowship since childhood. The church I attend now is nominally Baptist, but is really non-denom. Serving in any capacity is incredible. You can serve at a soup kitchen, and if you interact with the people who come in, God will begin to open your eyes to see people as He desires. You then have to stay connected in ministry to people. Like most things when something else gets into our mind what's really important gets pushed out.
@pamilvr - Yep it is heavy indeed...
@bronze_for_gold - Very true, thanks for the comment. You're spot on!
@sonnetjoy - Yes, and I do believe it is only God who can do it in us. I don't think that because we are Christians that it just naturally happens. God has to do the work, as we obey Him to reach to others in service.
@josephscoat - Our own sin is a greater block than just about everything else. For some it's the sins of others which block them. God desires that we get past our own sin, and get over ourselves. He has so much He wishes to do in and through us, but we keep holding onto our sins, or the guilt, or the desires which lead up to those sins. God has more and better, but we'll settle for so much less. There comes a time when we deal with our sins before God and turn from them completely. God promises that turning from and leaving sin is possible, but so few of us every take Him up on it.
Lonnie
@joeliustook - I've served in churches like the one you worked at. I left and went somewhere else. We waste so much time getting bent out of shape about what others are doing wrong. There are plenty of places of service where those men aren't. Find one of those places and serve God. When man takes the place of God in our eyes there is always trouble. God knows how to get things done despite the people who use the name of God to do harm. Trust God, not men, and you won't be disillusioned, nearly as often.
"The bad people," is a pretty poor excuse for not serving God in whatever way is at hand. Go clean a toilet in a church or community center somewhere. You'll do more in that act than you probably ever really accomplished working for the "men" in that church. We serve God when we serve people. We rarely really serve God when we're serving the agendas and ends of men.
And yeah, my toes got stepped on as well, but for different reasons. That's another post.
Lonnie
*weeps in repentance and joy*
Wow.
Good post, glad Lucy rec'ed it.
@ShamelesslyRed - Me too!
@Romans_837 - I'm always left in awe when God opens my eyes. Wow is a perfect name to attach to God: Jehovah Wow; the God who is too awesome for words.
@LucyWrites - Really it's just God's insights given to me...I just pass them along.
@Justin_DeBin - Thank you.
Very encouraging. Thank you.
I loved this post. This is just how I've felt since serving communion for the last few months. The feeling I get bending down and offering the cup to people with "The blood of Christ, the cup of salvation," as they drink, is wonderful. I love serving communion. The judgmental pharisee guy and the bitter old lady and the nasty scold are all beautiful to me when I serve them. It's a lovely thing! I appreciate your putting into such powerful words.