Hey everybody, and welcome back to the Set Your Mind Above Podcast! I’m your host BJ Sipe – I’m a Christian, a preacher, a husband, and a father. In this podcast we take everyday, ordinary events and explore how they can teach us extraordinary, eternal truths. I’m so glad that you joined me for this episode. Now, let’s open up our minds, our hearts, and our Bible’s together.
Once again, we have a podcast that has been inspired by interactions here at my favorite local coffee shop, Dry Stack Coffee. I actually wasn’t supposed to make it in today as generally on Wednesdays I play racquetball in the afternoon, but we had to postpone this week so it freed up my day to come prep and finish my studying for the day over here. I had to wait for my usual spot at the bar to open up, but once it did I got all set up and started visiting with my baristas before pulling out my work. That’s when Aaron, the owner and roaster, came up and started to visit with me. Aaron is also a disciple of Jesus and has worked in ministry in one of the local churches here in Danville for many years, and I have always benefited greatly from our conversations together. I’m not exactly sure how it originated, but we started with the discussion about how the church has gotten away from it’s spiritual focus in many places. Rather than the church coming together to be equipped to serve, in many places churches have become a place where people come expecting to be served. He applauded the leadership at their church, and stated that when a lot of churches were building gymnasiums and such around town, their leadership made the comment that, “They didn’t want their members to all stick together in their own gym, they wanted their members to go out and be lights in their own respective gyms in their own community.” This was such a powerful point, and I told him that I agreed whole heartedly with this sentiment. Then our conversation shifted slightly to emphasize what does it really mean to be a light in our community? What does that look like? As a business owner, Aaron conveyed that from the beginning that he had a decision that he needed to make about how he wanted to engage with his community, and he came to the following conclusion: “I’m not a Christian Coffee Roaster, I’m a coffee roaster who is a Christian.” I loved this. There is a big difference between marketing Jesus, and allowing Jesus to be seen in you. As we talked further, we discussed the nature of what people should be drawn to, even if they don’t exactly know what it is. People shouldn’t know you’re a Christian because it says so on your sign, or social media page, or on your t-shirt (though I do love me a good “not today Satan” t-shirt). People shouldn’t know you’re a Christian because you always have a Bible in your hand or because you throw the words “God” or “Jesus” into every sentence even when it doesn’t fit. People should see your character, notice that something about you is different, and be drawn to that. In fact, I went back and thought about my first interactions with Aaron – he never shared in detail his faith or his background in ministry right off the bat. I just knew, because of his character, that he was more than likely a disciple of Jesus – I was able to see Christlike qualities in him by the way he carried himself and interacted with others. I’m so grateful for guys like him, and I look forward to many years of edifying spiritual conversations together with a fellow lover of God.
We need to understand that the questions that Aaron asked himself are not only applicable to people who happen to own their own business. This is a question that each of us must ask ourselves: how will people know that you are a Christian? There was a social media post that I saw the other day that captured the proper answer to this question, and it said the following: “Treating people right is better than posting Bible verses everyday that you don’t even practice.” Just let that sink in for a moment. And as you’re doing that, let’s now shift our attention to the teachings of our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ. How did Jesus say that we should witness about him? Was it through our clothes, our titles, or bumper stickers? Or is it something far different? Let’s examine two texts together. First, let’s examine the text in the sermon on the mount recorded in Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Jesus says that we are to be the light of the world, and how that light is seen is important. First, it is seen because it is practiced. People are not drawn to the light because we claim, “we are light” or market light. People are drawn to the light by the way in which we serve one another and actually live as light. Being a Christian is not about a title or membership somewhere, being a Christian is a way of life. It’s to put others before ourselves, to love, serve, forgive, and all in a way that reflects the nature & character of Jesus. That brings to the second point from this text – the light that others see is not really our goodness, but Christ living in us. Notice what Jesus says, when they see our good works, who is the one who receives the glory? Is it not God, who is light, and the source of our light? What others should see in us is in fact not us at all, but Christ living in us. But what is the ultimate expression of others seeing Christ in us? Jesus says the following, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35) Jesus gives us the litmus test right here: if Christ is truly living in you, then everything you do will be done in love. The way you speak to others, how you share your time and resources, how you listen, how you show grace and mercy, etc. When every thought and action is funneled through the filter of love, that is when people will know that you are truly a disciple of Jesus. In fact John the apostle would go on to write that anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love (1 John 4:8). My friends the point is this – if you are more concerned about knowing Christ than you are making sure others know that you do, that’s when others will truly see Christ in you. That’s when it becomes about our walk and not our talk. Don’t merely tell others that you know Jesus, show them Jesus. Just as we sing in the old time hymn, “And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love, yes they’ll know we are Christians by our love.”
Thank you for tuning in to today’s episode, and I would invite you back Tuesdays-Fridays for a brand-new episode each day. If you haven’t already, be sure to find us on Facebook for occasional announcements and special video sessions. If you have benefited from this podcast, please if you’re able be sure to share it with someone else that you think could benefit from it as well. Until next time, know that I love you, that God loves you, and may we all each & every day set our minds above.