TGIF

TGIF

Isn't it funny how we look forward to the weekend and having time off from work but when we are in the work world, our work can sometimes be a defining factor for who we are. I enjoy my job and feel like God has blessed me with a job that I am good at. Although there are times when I am ready for a break from work, most of the time I enjoy my job. After spending the last 5 weeks in the hospital with my son Josh, this week it has been good to be back at work.

Early this morning we took Josh over to get lab work done, and then over to Dr. Turners office to have his vitals checked. All of his blood counts are improving which is a good sign. He does not need a blood transfusion so we are glad for that.

Then Josh came into work with me after his Dr's appointment to see his friends Domingo & Alice and Rick as well as the other people at the church. He usually comes in and helps the custodians once or twice a week, so he really wanted to come in today and work with them because he has been gone for 5 weeks. He hung out with them at break time, and then wanted to go help clean bathrooms and toilets. They all convinced him that he could not do any work, so he hung out with them for a little bit.

His heart is in the right place, both wanting to reconnect with friends and serve by helping them do their jobs (even if it means cleaning toilets).

This morning in my devotions I read about how sometimes we use the language of the Bible or the traditions of our religious beliefs to excuse our sin. Jesus was talking to the Pharisees and they asked him why his disciples didn't follow all of the religious requirements of the day.

Jesus response was to ask them why they were breaking the commandments for the sake of traditions. They were basically saying, it is okay if I sin, as long as I make it look like I am "doing the right thing" or doing "what we have always done as a church". Sometimes as people who grew up in church, we think that if we are doing what is expected of us (going to church, reading from the King James Version, singing only the kind of songs we like), that it is okay if we don't follow the rest of Jesus commands (love God with all your heart, love your neighbor).

So at this point I was thinking, okay, here is some great stuff I can write about to help other people look and see what they are or aren't doing to show their love for God and neighbor. But then I was faced with the question, "what traditions do I keep that are an excuse for not doing what God wants?"

Things like looking for my identity in my work rather than finding my identity in Christ. Or like being nice to people who are like me but treating people who are different (speak with an accent or believe in a different religion) like ... well like they aren't the same as me, you know, an American, protestant, middle class person who knows all the right words to say and does all of the right things to blend in.

Am I willing to sacrifice my "middle class" lifestyle in order to show Christ's love to people who aren't like me? The thought of it makes me uncomfortable, to the point of coming up with some good reasons to keep doing things the way I do.

But if that was the case, if I base my life on what is comfortable and safe, I wouldn't be spending my life in a hospital room with my son who is a whole lot more uncomfortable with his new circumstances then I am.

So I guess it is time to be uncomfortable and show Christ's love to people who aren't like me. To be a Christ follower, to be more than a "T-Shirt Christian" (as one friend called it) and do hard things.

What about you? Are you ready to live outside of your comfort zone?

TGIF - Thank God I'm Forgiven.