Jesus: the Shepherd who Brings God’s People Peace

I am a good judger. In fact, I may be a great judger.

I judge things like “do you properly fluff your Christmas tree before you decorate it” or “are you a real sports fan or a bandwagon fan.” But the area where I find myself doling out the least judgement, oddly, is in how people live their faith.

I have known some of the kindest and most loving people who truly exemplify God’s great love for everyone, yet who don’t regularly attend worship. These same people are the first to show up to help a neighbor, a friend of their neighbor, or someone they have no connection with who needs a little help. And I know some people who sit proudly in worship each and every week but seem a bit oblivious to the suffering of those around them. From an outside vantage point, it’s as though they don’t see the problems of the world, or even those close by.

Then there are people who seem a bit lukewarm. They stop by worship, sometimes; they participate in church activities, sometimes; they get involved in supporting those in need, sometimes. And, of course, we have the people who are all in. They rarely, if ever, miss worship, they are active in small groups, they give their time and their resources, and they serve often and joyfully.

As you read this, you may be inclined to say, “Well, that is the perfect way,” and select one of the examples as the right or best way to live your faith. But I contend that each of these types of believers brings something very special to the table. And I remind myself that for every person, how they live their faith and what that looks like on the outside is driven by a lifetime of experiences, moments both good and bad, that bring them to where they are right now.

My parents were two of the greatest people I have ever known. They loved God, and ALL of His people. When someone needed something, they were the first to step up, offering resources, hard work, or a loving listening presence. But they were not in church every Sunday. We had a farm–crops and livestock don’t take Sundays off, and small-town Methodist churches don’t offer multiple worship times.

Some people very close to me never miss worship. They show up unless they are too sick to drag themselves to the church. From the outside, it seems as if they walk in, sit and listen quietly, then leave. These people, however, are fierce prayer warriors, and their faith is played out in quiet, subtle ways.

For many years, my husband and I were the “sometimes” people–we were in our “sandwich generation” years. We were trying to balance young kids with parents who had health issues, jobs that required travel, and schedules that seemed to be driven by everyone but us. We did what we could for that stage of our life.

In our time at Resurrection, I have gotten to know several people who are all in. They seem to be the gold standard. I admire them and someday hope to be them. But what I have learned over the years is that no matter what our faith looks like, each of us brings something amazing to the table if we truly love God and love His people. We may not show that love in the same way, and we may have times where we seem lukewarm, but we are called to love one another, to let the love of God be in us so others can see it.

That doesn’t take a monumental show of faith. It can be a smile and a hug for someone who is struggling, handing out a McDonald’s gift card to someone who is just a little short on money right now, or buying a coat for a child who is cold. Each of us can have a huge impact on showing love, even if it’s in the smallest way possible.

This Advent season, I challenge us (especially myself) to spread God’s love to everyone we encounter in some way, big or small. I guarantee it will make this the brightest, merriest Christmas ever!