About the middle of last week, my mind started spinning on another topic that I would revisit day after day. Sometimes I’d see it. Sometimes it would pop-up in a discussion. Sometimes I’d live it. God was pointing it out.
It’s this thought: Ministry is messy. Getting involved in people’s lives is messy. Touching & transforming hearts is messy.
A great example is found this verse:
- "Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; But much increase comes by the strength of an ox." (Proverbs 14:4)
Do you want a perfectly nice & clean barn? Don’t put any animals in it! Do you want to team up with a strong ox to plant & harvest a field? The barn will get messy. In other words, if you want this nice clean, orderly life where none of the "real-world-ickk" gets on you or messes up your pristine life, you’ll live a nice, clean, orderly, self-centered & useless life.
Jesus showed us that touching people is the ultimate act of love which is both unpopular & messy. Jesus touched the "untouchables" of society…people no one else would touch…like this guy.
Real-world transformation is messy! But people are worth it.
Look how pretty we all are on Sunday with our pretty Sunday smiles. Everyone as happy as can be. We’re all a mess–why does it feel like we should suppress it and hide it from others? As if our imperfections invalidate our ability to minster to others? Our imperfections are the reasons why we can minister to others, they are why we need God. We are a living organism, as you said, and all parts of the body need care-taking. Ministering to others does not mean that you don’t live with your own oxen. Can you preach next Sunday in some dirty clothes and be all smelly–maybe with some ox dung on you?
VS — You got me good on that one. I laughed out loud at your suggestion. I think I’ll roll out of bed on Sunday morning, as is, throw some dung on my face & neck, and head to church! 🙂 I’ll be “keeping it real!”