2 Timothy 1:6-8
...I want to remind you to stir
into flame the strength and boldness that is in you, that entered into
you when I laid my hands upon your head and blessed you. For the Holy
Spirit, God’s gift, does not want you to be afraid of people, but to be
wise and strong, and to love them and enjoy being with them.
If
you will stir up this inner power, you will never be afraid to tell
others about our Lord or to let them know that I am your friend even
though I am here in jail for Christ’s sake. You will be ready to suffer
with me for the Lord, for he will give you strength in suffering.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
In October 2014, I
shared some of my Mam-ma Polly’s prized “Kentucky Wonder” bean seeds
with friends who were visiting from Pennsylvania. These friends are
gardening enthusiasts extraordinaire! They planted the seeds last
summer and harvested a bumper crop of beans. And a couple of days ago, a
squishy padded envelope arrived in our mailbox – dried beans that our
friends returned to us with best wishes for a good crop of our own next
year. I shared this story with my mother, and we agreed that my Mam-ma
Polly would be tickled pink by this. To her, “Kentucky Wonder” beans
were like gold!
This got me thinking about my Mam-ma Polly.
She’s been on my mind a lot lately. My grandmother was not afraid to
speak her mind – about anything! As I noted at her funeral, she was a
mess – but she was our mess! For all of the 56 years that I knew
her, my Mam-ma Polly was never shy about sharing Jesus with others.
She did this in direct ways…and in subtle gestures. Her table always
had room for one more. When she met a new neighbor, her first question
was always, “Where do you go to church?” She cared for the sick, shared
with the needy, and prayed without ceasing. She was an extraordinary
role model for love of others and Christian discipleship…and I am
blessed by her legacy.
In this letter from the Apostle Paul, we
see him encourage Timothy to be bold and courageous…to call on the
strength and inner power of God’s Holy Spirit as he represented the love
and mercy of Jesus Christ to others. And this is what we are called to
do. This is a season of generosity…of sharing love and giving to
others. We seem to find it easier to do this in December as we “get in
the Christmas mood.” But we need to expand our boldness and
discipleship to the other eleven months as well.
It’s easier to
share Jesus in these holiday weeks. We smile more…we say “Merry
Christmas” and display signage on everything from ornaments to
sweatshirts that says, “Jesus is the Reason for the Season.” We give to
charities, bake goodies for friends and acquaintances, and carefully
select gifts for everyone from family members to co-workers and needy
children. We attend programs that proclaim the “Joy to the World” of
Jesus’ coming. We generally demonstrate in ways great and small how
much we love Jesus - and how glad we are to celebrate His birth.
My
challenge for all of us is to take a page from my Mam-ma Polly’s book
and extend this spirit to encompass the entire year. Let’s be more bold
and courageous in our demonstrations of Christian faith and love.
Let’s do whatever it takes to become more comfortable sharing our story
and telling others what Jesus has done in our lives. This may require
some practice…but I can tell you, repetition does make it easier! Let’s
get in the pattern of smiling more and representing the joy that comes
from the peace of our salvation and faith in Jesus.
Even
something as simple as the exchange of some pole bean seed can be an act
of Christian love and discipleship. I shared one of my grandmother’s
most prized possessions with friends…and they reciprocated. This opened
the door for dialog and the exchange of love and friendship halfway
across the country…and that’s sometimes all it takes to allow others to
see Jesus in us…and to spur a deeper discussion of Christian faith.
So
get started…just jump in with both feet and do it! Reach out to
someone with a smile and a kind word or gesture, and see where God takes
you. Love people and genuinely enjoy being with them…and discover
where and how God will stir the flame of boldness to further His
Kingdom.
©2015 Debbie Robus
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