It started much like weeks in the past have, except for the fact that this week I would be involved in a week long course at Concordia University Texas called Missional Leadership. In full disclosure, I had heard good things about this class, and while I was excited for it to begin, I was also upset with the fact that I had to fit in one more class to finish up my post-baccalaureate program here at CTX. While the class time made me think and rethink what it truly meant to live a missional life, in every aspect of your life, I had no clue how the end of the week in Houston would make a lasting impact on me the way it had.
We spent the end of the week, Wednesday through Friday, in Houston working closely with a great organization called LINC. There were many great things that happened while in Houston, but for me the most thought provoking aspect was our World Tour. We went to a Buddhist Temple, a Hindu temple, a Christian Orthodox Church, and a Muslim Mosque. It was a truly eye opening experience.
I have always been incredibly intrigued about other cultures, religions, customs, food, and traditions; and I could not help but be amazed at what I was experiencing all in one day. It was refreshing to meet so many people who were open to sharing what they believed while we listened and learned from them about their different religions. I will be processing through this experience for days, weeks, and years to come as I try to grasp what it is God was teaching me through this amazing experience.
However, I am struck with this thought. As humans we are all searching for something, this seems true in all religions and in all faith. We long for love, we long for community, we long for connection, we long for a purpose, and we long for a savior.
As a Christian I feel that this is so hard for us, we immediately want to jump in and scream the answer to them. JESUS!!! He is the way!!! But we forget that is not what we are being called to do. We are being called to go, to live, to be a part of our community, growing in relationships and respect in the hopes that through these relationship we can restore the world to Christ and teach others of the truly freeing faith in Christ Jesus. We are being called to live a missional life so that through our day to day lives others may know Christ's love and come to faith.
But love, what is love? Is it what we see in the romantic comedies of the infectious beginnings of relationships, is it the love you share with a life-long friend when you call them and you are able to pick up right where you left off, or is it the love for your daughter, your son, your mother. Our English language fails us here with just one word for love. Love is all of these things and so so so much more.
To truly love as Christ loved us is sacrificial. "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13 (ESV)
While processing through everything that has happened to me this week I kept thinking about this verse. To live a life of love, to live a missional life, to build relationship and know that we are called to love our neighbors, to learn from our neighbors, and to show them who Christ is through our lives and eventually our words. But to lay down your life for your friends?? What is God calling me to do in this verse how does this apply if this is the greatest love?
While thinking through this verse in the context of my week I came across an amazing post on Facebook from my good friend Steve Ferkau. His amazing story is a long and beautiful one to tell but in a quick nut shell Steve received the amazing gift of life through a double lung translate in 2000. His donor was my sisters best friend from High School, Kari Westburg. Steve is truly an amazing man that has done so much to further organ donation awareness and in the process he has shared Kari's story with the world. This quick nutshell does not do Kari or Steve justice but for the sake of time is all I will give. (If you want to know more let me know and I would love to tell you the whole story!! ).
So, I came upon a post from Steve about a news story involving him on the NBC Chicago station and the title took my by surprise. Steve was getting another organ donation! I knew that Steve would be needing a kidney transplant but did not know how soon it would be taking place. I learned in this news report that next Tuesday, Steve will be undergoing organ donation surgery again to receive a living kidney transplant from an amazing woman named Alex Redenius. Like Kari, Alex grew up with us in the same neighborhood and was one of Kari's best friends, and now was donating one of her kidneys to Steve!!! Alex is truly an inspiration of what it means to live out John 15:13 and to lay your life down for your friend.
I truly believe we are being called to LOVE, not just the mushy kind of love portrayed in movies. But that sacrificial love that Alex is a testimony of. We are being called to love as Christ loved us. To truly live with our brothers and sisters, to build relationships, to respect and honor their culture, their customs, and their religions. We are called to live a life that truly shows Christ's love not just in our vocation or career but in each moment.
References:
Crossway Bibles (2011-02-09). The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (with Cross-References) (Kindle Locations 169524-169527). Good News Publishers/Crossway Books. Kindle Edition.
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