You Are the Equipment
I've been in church my whole life. And more often than not, I've noticed that we, as a collective body of Christ, complicate what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We try everything: manuals, extra programs, more board meetings... All of these things are good in their own right: however, when we rely on these things, I think we miss a lot of what the Lord has in store for us!
This truth hit me hard today as I was reading Mark 6:8-9 in the Message version. "Jesus called the Twelve to him, and sent them out in pairs. He gave them authority and power to deal with the evil opposition. He sent them off with these instructions: 'Don't think you need a lot of extra equipment for this. You are the equipment. No special appeals for funds. Keep it simple.'"
I'm learning more and more that the Kingdom of Heaven is found in the simple things. When I went to Brazil in 2013, I ministered with an amazing ministry called Shores of Grace. Before we went out onto the streets to pray for people, we baked chocolate chip cookies. Those cookies opened doors and allowed conversations to flow in such a way that I wasn't expecting! A simple act of baking chocolate chip cookies paved a path for us to pray with precious individuals and speak love and life into those on the streets! The Kingdom of Heaven is found in the simple things.
You are the equipment. YOU are special! You have a history and a story influenced by the Holy Spirit that has the potential to reach the ones no one else will dare to love. I'm learning to love boldly. To love without expecting a thing in return. I'm asking the Father to give me a heart that echoes every beat of His. Will you join me?
Between the Shadow and the Soul: Blogging through the journey.