I feel like I have a new lease on ministry. I’ll explain more later on what is changing but my focus today was different. I got to engage someone for the Kingdom.
You all know me well enough to know my answer to “How are you doing??”. It’s almost always “Better than I deserve”. Yes, I listen to Dave Ramsey sometimes and yes, that is where I first heard that answer but it is not why I say it. I say it for two reasons.
First, it is always true. I am better than I deserve. The wages of sin is death and I am a sinner. I deserve death but by the the Grace and Mercy of God I have life in Christ so I am always better than I deserve. I never have to lie and say “Fine, I’m fine” when I am not. Life is hard. Sometimes it feels like we are either in a crisis, coming out of a crisis or headed for a crisis. Welcome to life on this planet!! Don’t misunderstand though, it’s a Good Life and I am better than I deserve no matter what is happening to me.
Second, it almost always starts a conversation and today was no exception. I got the question and my answer was “Better than I deserve” and that got another question. “What do you mean?”, he asked. Soooooo, I got to share my faith with someone I thought was a believer but perhaps did not get this basic premise of my life. We talked about Christ and death and sin and finally I said “It is by grace through faith that we are saved, not by works so that no one can boast. (Eph 2:8-9). He walked away with something of the Spirit to contemplate.
My point is that we are all called to share our lives and witness to those we serve and I pray that each of you on the Brewteam at 12Stone will take that seriously. We are there to clean the carts, put coffee up and make sure there is cream and sugar for the people that don’t take coffee in is intended form (black and hot :)) but more importantly we are there to share Christ. You will get the chance to do so if you look for it.
Be alert and yet be relaxed. I don’t want to have you manufacture a moment but rather just be yourself and look for anyone that you can serve and talk to. God will lead you to the moment that He wants you to have.
Thanks for listening and remember that It’s a Good Life!!
Jerry Robertson
Chaplain of Caffeine