The Red Letter Words Of JesusSample

That Time God Punched Me in the Gut

I remember a moment when I realized my life had become insulated. I was reading about how to reach out to others and build bridges to the lost. I could explain a life of mission to you; I just wasn’t living one. Beyond those I interacted with in my pastoral role, I had no ongoing, meaningful relationships with those who didn’t know Jesus.

In a long line in a grocery store, God whispered to me, Stop reading about it, and start doing it. It was a gut punch. I needed it. I was embarrassed. It was time to shift my priorities and the priorities of my family. During that season, I put down the book, picked up the phone, and reengaged relationships with people who didn’t know Jesus.

Our family began investing differently. We rediscovered hospitality. Over time, our home shifted from a refuge from mission to a hub for mission. My greatest discovery of the last ten years of ministry has been hospitality—reclaiming the call to an open life, an open home, and an open table.

Celebrate those who understand how to include those on the fringes. Celebrate those around you who are embedded in meaningful relationships with friends and neighbors. Take every opportunity to resist the urge to solely invite Christians into your home or around your table. Follow the example of Jesus whose ministry strategy was incarnation.