It's easy to live missionally
Just the other day I sat in the orthodontis chair, a few weeks earlier than my normal appointment because a wire broke. I was explaining the symptoms of how I discovered the broken wire...it was hidden and not at all obvious. After my imaginative explanation, my orthodontis said laughing, "You should be a writer."
Hmmm, well, now that you mention it. His comment provided a perfect opening and I jumped in with both feet! "Funny you should say that. I just published my first book."]
He beamed and stopped adjusting my braces. "See I was right, you are a writer. What is your book about?" Another great opening!
"It's about the need for Christians to really behave like Christians in the community," I said kindly and daring to be bold without being offensive.
He nodded enthusiastically. "That's great. You know, the culture really has been changing. When we moved here in the 60s people were really nice. They were loving and forgiving," he continued. My orthodonstist immigrated from Iran and does not consider himself a Christian but he is friendly toward Christianity. He told me that he grew up respecting Jesus because his mother valued Jesus and spoke about him. He clarified that she was not a Christian but really respected Jesus. He also explained he and his family had checked out Christianity and various churches because people around him were so warm and inviting. In other words, they behaved winsomely, living as Christians in the community.
Now it was my turn to nod in agreement which was all I could do since he was still putting the powerchain on my top braces.
People notice when we misbehave
Before getting my final instructions, he commented, "Now my colleagues who say they are Christians keep to themselves. It's like if you're not part of them they don't want to spend time with you." He clearly missed the warm and inviting aspects of faith he had experienced in the past. My orthodontist finished the conversation by saying, “Christians should act warmly so people would want to know more.”
He gets it. We need to get it too!
When I left, I grabbed one of the new books out of my trunk. I signed it for him and went back into the office. He was happy to get the book and said, "I'll read it at night." Great! He'll be seeing me next month. I wonder what he'll have to say. :)
How about you?
What's your story with living missionally? Please send it to me at [email protected]. I'm collecting stories to share on the blog so that we can encourage each other to live missionally!