The Writing on the Wall

balanced?

In Kung Fu, if I am not rooted, then I will be tossed about by my opponent, even by my own actions as I perform them. I will have no power, and no ability to influence my opponent. But, if I am rooted, then I am able to influence my opponent however I wish. By rooted, I mean I have a strong and stable connection with the ground beneath me. If I am standing on my toes, and someone pushes me, then I will be moved. But if I sink my weight down into my legs, and and strike a strong pose, then my opponent can push till his heart's content, and I will be able to absorb and control.

When my co-worker asked me if I was balanced, I asked her to clarify. What does it mean to be balanced? This was her answer, "You know, rooted, grounded, centered, all is well within." After asking my questions, I began my answer. "Balanced? I don't know. But here is what I do know: I am Rooted in Christ, Grounded in the Word, and Centered in the Will of God. So if that makes me balanced, then yeah."

Now, here is a thought: a friend of mine and I discussed where she is going with her education and Christian walk, Christian Counseling. When I asked her why, one of her reasons was that God has given her a passion for discipleship, which is a pillar of counseling. I agreed. Then I began to make an observation. One which she shared.

The church as a whole (no denominations mentioned here) has failed to educate, to instruct in the disciplines, to disciple people after salvation. When I can't go anywhere without people in the world pegging me as a pastor as soon as I start talking about God or the Bible, that's bad. It is bad because it is a reflection of the perception of the world that only the leaders of the church are knowledgable about Scripture. But it is worse when I get the same reaction from the church itself. Is the church so ungrounded in the Word, that it thinks like the world?

We place so much emphasis on getting people in the church, but what then? A good friend and student of mine, after becoming saved, asked God the question, "What now?" over 5 years later, she is still trying to find the answer to that question. She has to drive 40 miles one way to a church that will disciple her. This is a sad day. When Christian teenagers balk at the idea of putting Christ before their boy/girlfriends, when sharing the gospel with your friends never enters your mind, when you don't even know how to share the gospel there is a problem. When a student spent an hour looking for hezekiah 2:12, and when 7 out of 10 people believe that 'The love of money is the root of all evil' is an accurate quote from the Bible" then the Scripture isn't being taught. Enough time isn't being spent in systematically teaching christians how to study the Bible and what It teaches. When my mediocre knowledge shines like a diamond in the church, then there is a problem. Evangelism is vital, but folks, evangelism is the natural result of proper discipleship! Evangelism will happen quite naturally with discipled Christians, but it doesn't work the otherway around. If you are not schooled in the disciplines of Christianity, how can you live as one? And if you don't live as one, how can what you say mean anything? I ask you, how can you lead others to a life of godliness, if you don't even know what it is?

Being a Christian isn't always easy, but it isn't as hard as some make it out to be either. The formula is easy, lose yourself! Lose yourself in the person of Jesus Christ, and you will find yourself changed. But how can you lose yourself in the person of Jesus Christ, if you don't know what He taught.

Posted by GodzScout at August 27, 2005 12:45 AM