Turning 30... (Part II)

After posting about turning 30 last week, I continued to reflect on some of those thoughts, so I figured it is only right to continue the conversation here as well.

I began to realize that the biggest trap, and greatest enemy of true incarnational living is mediocre, earthly kingdom success. Let me clarify.

In part one I made the reference to the people at my 3oth birthday party, and that the lack of non-church people was staggering. I have in essence become someone who doesn't have any close friends who are outside the church. I realized in my continued reflection the real reason why, is that I have become happy with where God has me. I have become comfortable with the current impact I am having.

I have lots and lots of un churched friends, I pray daily for those people, and go out of my way to love, and relate with them on their terms. I have seen countless people being drawn to the feet of the savior through those relationships.

This is the trap! I am comfortable with a very earthly kind of impact.

What I think God is calling me to goes beyond simply, pursuing unchurched folks for the sake of making them churched. If that is the goal, that is a sad, short sighted pursuit. What God is calling me to, is to so invest, live among, listen to and pray for everyone I come in contact with, that they become people I love because we have a close intimate connection. This is the stream in which God has the opportunity to speak into a persons heart.

When I choose to intentionally love, bless, connect with, pray for and serve the people God places right in front of me, I create a breeding ground for the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of people. This kind of impact is lasting, this kind of impact doesn't end here, it is a living, multiplying entity, that can in fact reach to the ends of the earth.

This is the new focus of my life. People find Jesus through real, no strings attached, loving, connected relationship. This is the model we get from Christ, this is a powerful pursuit.

So, birthday parties, can be a great gauge of my success that accomplishing this mission. If I am in fact building a lifestyle that centers around people, and connectedness to the world with the love and grace of Christ, with no strings attached, those closest to me will include all types of people. You don't have to be a christian to connect with me in real relationship. We are connected in our pursuit of God, of truth, of what's real. We are connected in our desperate, and common need for real relationship.