- sacrificial love
- servant heart
- forgive when its not easy to forgive
- humility and self-forget fullness
My wife and have been married for 11 years now, this weekend we are opening up our home to what we hope to be a launching point of true transformation in our own lives and community. A Couples Peer Mentoring group. It seems that through God's providence he has put us in a place where we continue to cross paths with "couples" who for different reasons are having relationship issues. Now why Jess and I are qualified to be examples to this group, that is just God's providence on our own lives and marriage. Because outside our relationship with Christ, truly there is nothing special or magical about what we do. But what we have been focusing on, in our community and circle of influences is to everyday be Jesus. To reflect the nature and live the mission of Jesus in the world, not in our church life. We don't practice religion. But to let Jesus be our life. Now are we good at it, only God will be the judge of that one day. But we try everday.
In the article the author gives some practical ways that he can or could have been more like Jesus in a certain situation. Jess and I are trying to practice daily attitudes, behaviors, posture etc... that reflects the real, incarnational power of Christ. I am one of those guys who believes that Jesus at the same time was God but also fully man. I cannot adequately explain or debate it. But I feel that Jesus, as a human experienced ever possible range of temptation, emotion, behavior that we face on a daily bases. He set the example for all of us to follow. It is my choice if I want to submit my attitude to be the same as Christ (Phil 2:5). That is a very hard thing for anyone to do. But it is something that needs to happen in order for Jesus to be seen in us. Like the article our attitude, posture and position we put our selves into daily (for Christ) needs to be one of 1) sacrifice, 2) serving heart 3) forgiveness and 4) self-forget fullness. As a follower of Christ in my process of "making disciples" this works well. As people truly get to know you, they are drawn to you. They ask for your story and then you tell them about a man from Galilee that changed your life and how he wants to change theirs.
But before I can do that in life, it has to happen at home first. If my wife, kids, mom, brother etc... (the very people who know me better than most) if they can't see Jesus in me, than I dare thank that anyone else will. The other day I was trying to talk to a someone who said that they had made a mistake by marring their spouse. One concern was that their spouse was not a believer and that they felt that they had been lied to from the beginning. It sounded hopeless, but I believe that the same power that raised Christ from the grave can save any relationship. Is it easy, no. But as I asked his person, what they were doing to point their spouse to Christ, how is that their actions, words, behaviors are reflecting the power of Christ. I hope and pray that they will seriously consider that. But it is the same question that I will propose to you. Think about any relationship you have. As a Follower of Christ, what are you doing, what are you saying, what lifestyle are you living that says to that person "Is that Jesus, Is that what Jesus does, Is that what Jesus says". It is definitely something to think about
http://www.focusonthefamily.com/marriage/gods_design_for_marriage/does_your_spouse_see_jesus_in_you.aspx
