By Arnie Cole, CEO
Thank you for all of the responses to the reader survey in April. Through the Spiritual Fitness Review and newsletter audiences, you’ve all been so helpful.
According to what you shared, plus my own personal interactions with many of you—1) you have done what it takes to let Jesus radically transform your life, and 2) you are a living example for those around you.
One of the greatest challenges we face as Christ Followers is believing in the notion that people will seek us out to learn about Jesus. In reality, this is the least likely way we'll get to talk with someone about Him. Fewer and fewer attend church or hold even a general respect for God. And younger people simply avoid anyone they suspect of being Christians.
With these realities, I am passing on to you one of the most valuable pieces of advice I ever received. Picture it—we're all eager to launch out after completing four years of specialized
training on how to work with violent, self-destructive, autistic children. At the tender age of 22, a prominent child psychologist, Dr. Jenkins, defined the biggest challenge of our new
profession:
“What do you do if Mohamad won’t come to the mountain? Then you must bring the mountain to Mohamad.”
According to him, we were some of the most talented behavioral specialists with the best training in the world. While there was a population who desperately needed what we had to offer, we were young. Hardly any of us had kids of our own—removing us from circles where we might get to know parents in need.
Dr. Jenkins’ conclusion at the time was right—parents and agencies were simply never going to come to any of us for help. To make the biggest impact—WE HAD TO GO TO THEM.
In the Self-Assessment for Maintaining Relevance and Impact many of you took, we asked: What legacy do you believe you are creating through your actions and presence in others’ lives?
It’s like you memorized and live by Hebrews 13:5 (NIV): “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”
It is also clear that most of you have a profound sense of responsibility towards living a life that not only adheres to strong biblical values, but also actively contributes to the betterment of others. That means you’re watching for people and opportunities—eager to take action. That just means we have to work together to figure out how to expand the tool options in the tool belt.
Also, most of you have figured out that envying what other people have—money, new cars, big houses, better health—would only cause you to lose sight of what Jesus has called you to do. Basically, you have rightly focused on God and what He’s doing in your life and in the lives of others.
Collectively you have an A+ in helping others, (including me with your response as I navigate the turbulent waters of being a ministry leader). And an A+ in being a good friend to those around you, in giving to those in need financially, and in volunteering.
The predominant themes of faith and legacy are also very clear in the responses, which are described as:
Faith and Spirituality: A significant majority of the responses reflect a strong collective aspiration to live lives that are reflective of their biblical spiritual beliefs and to leave a legacy that honors those beliefs.
Impact Through Example: Many respondents aspire to impact others positively by setting a good example, living out their faith in practical ways, and being a source of love, guidance, and support. This indicates a keen awareness of the influence one's actions and demeanor can have on others and a deliberate effort to make that influence positive.
If all of the responses are formed into a word cloud, with the most common responses in the largest fonts, it would look like this:
As much as we each desire it, the sad truth is people are not likely to seek us out in knowing Jesus better. They aren’t going to “come to the mountain.”
Since people who need Jesus won’t seek us out, start praying about what you think would work to go to them. Please let me know your ideas in the comments below!
PS: Be sure to check out all of the great Bible teaching content at www.backtothebible.org or, from your mobile device, click this link GOtandem from the App Store or Google Play and download our Daily Spiritual Fitness App.