The Meek

“They try to assign Him the power and public sway He always resisted; people want to make a starlet out of Jesus. But He insisted His power was activated in the margins. Jesus didn't redeem the world on the throne but through the cross. I don't want to consume the redemption Jesus made possible then spurn the methods by which He achieved it. Jesus' kingdom continues in the same manner it was launched; through humility, subversion, love, sacrifice; through calling empty religion to reform and behaving like we believe the meek will indeed inherit the earth. We cannot carry the gospel to the poor and lowly while emulating the practices of the rich and powerful.” 
― Jen Hatmaker, 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess


Convicting. I read this a few months ago. 

Sometimes, I question what we are doing. We as a family. We as a church. We as a me. 

In this day and time, reaching someone outside of your comfort zone is about out of the question. 

We have people in churches that won't go to classes with people who bother them and they fit in all the same molds of life. Thankfully, there are many to choose from? We have churches and families pouring all of their money into themselves. I am not pointing fingers. We are guilty. (We must learn to live intentionally and our spending is one evident thing that needs to change.)

 Forget reaching people not like us. We can't even sit and study with people very similar to us. 

We have entire communities of people that do not know each other. People don't know their neighbors. This blows my mind. 

If we are constantly reaching for the bigger and better. Striving for more. Buying. Hoarding. Spending selfishly, we are never going to reach anybody. Practicing the life of the rich and forgetting the poor. 

Your not rich? You have a home, you have a car, you have food, you have water,you work, you choose from 5 grocery stores, you shop at 20+ places per month (check your bank account),you have children that are well fed, you flip a switch to make lights come on....you are rich.You are in the majority of the world. 

How can we ever reach the lowly living like the rich? 

We go through seasons in our lives. We are currently in a season of life where we find naps and sleep important. We have three boys. Twins who just turned four and a one year old. Our life is crazy chaotic. Walking out the door to go anywhere requires planning and prep work. But can we not still make an impact for the kingdom? Yes, we can. It might not look like I think it should, but we can. 

"Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time." Ephesians 5:15-16
Time. I laugh when people mention it. What time? I often value time as the slot not filled on my calendar. I feel that making the most of your time really means making the most of every opportunity. God puts us in these seasons of life for a reason. I miss opportunities daily in the current season I am in because I am looking for the next big thing and trying to successfully (by my standards) get from point A to point B without a meltdown, vomit, pee...

I want to live like the meek will inherit the Earth by making the most of every opportunity given to me. I want our kids to know people that do not look like them. I want them to love people who are not like them. I want them to not fear the world around them because of poverty, color, location...

"Jesus' kingdom continues in the same manner it was launched; through humility, subversion, love, sacrifice; through calling empty religion to reform and behaving like we believe the meek will indeed inherit the earth."-Jen Hatmaker

Our family made a huge decision recently that took a whole bunch of humility and selfish sacrifice. It was minimal and it didn't feel good. It was something that had to be done for all of us.We prayed about it. We argued about it. We fought it. We kept giving more time that wasn't really ours to give, we were not being obedient. The point is that continuing the kingdom isn't all roses with no thorns. Change is inevitable. Comfort may or may not go out the window. Familiarity might be too comfortable. Relationships may be distanced. Power might be revoked. Humble pie is probably going to be needed. Subversion may need to happen. Tears will probably be shed. At the end of the day, empty religion needs to be reformed and we need to be living like Jesus. 

What does this look like in your life, your home, 2014? I am not sure, but I know through different seasons it will be different. I don't always understand things in the present, but looking back on the past I can always see the bigger picture and have hope for the future because I know that Christ is right there all the way. It may seem lonely at times, but I can hold to the promises He gives that He will never leave or forsake.