December 10, 2020
A Wave of Positivity
This has been a really unique year. I think most people agree with that. And during a unique time, we have a unique role to play as the people of God. It's not like we wake up every day throughout history, and okay, we've got the same role to play. No, God adjusts our role. He adjusts our mission according to what's happening in the world. And that's why it's important for us to think about it, okay, what's happening in the world. How is that affecting people? And what is that calling us as Christians to do and be in the midst of the world at this time in history?
One of the things I think people need in a very special way at this time is encouragement. I think a lot of people are down. I think a lot of people get down about so many different aspects of what's happening in the world and in our society. People need encouragement. People need affirmation. In today's reading, Jesus says, "Of everyone that's ever been born, John the Baptist is the greatest." I mean, what do you even say? Incredible praise, right? Jesus was a great encourager. And so I have to believe that he's calling us to be a great encourager. He's calling us to encourage people, to affirm people, to appreciate people.
He says about John today: the greatest of everyone ever born. What would he say about you and me? What would Jesus praise in your life at this time? And what would Jesus encourage in your life at this time? What would Jesus affirm in your life at this time? Would he say to you, "Wow! You're doing really great in that"? Would he say, "This is beautiful. Keep up the great work there"? What would he encourage? What would he affirm?
I think sometimes, as Christians, we are so focused on, okay, I'm doing these things wrong, and I've got to fix these things, I've got to work on these things. And that can be very negative. But Jesus was an incredibly positive force in people's lives and a positive influence on history. And we need to tap into that positivity and ask ourselves, okay, what would Jesus encourage in my life right now—what would he affirm in my life right now—because, if we're not able to tap into that for ourselves, we're going to find it very difficult to go out into the world and encourage others and affirm others and appreciate others. And that's our role. That's our mission. And it's a big part of what the world needs from us as Christians at this moment in history.