The Body of Christ walked the earth over 2000 years ago. He died on a cross, rose from the grave, and ascended. The Apostle Paul tells us that now, collectively, we are His Body. We are the Body of Christ. People will judge Him based on our actions.
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
– Jesus (John 13:35)
This is our power to transform the world. Unfortunately, if we don’t love, the opposite occurs. Knowing we are Christians, people who experience our impatience or disdain will wonder about our Savor’s capacity to transform.
Nancy and I are currently in Prague. While in Europe, we’ve adopted a horrible habit of daily gelato at 3 pm. We found a 5 Star gelato outlet yesterday in the center of Old Town. A woman, in a small cubby of a shop, stood commanding over her vats of gelato. Nancy made intentional eye contact and asked, “How are you doing?”
Her response was overwhelming. “You are one-in-a-million! No one ever asks how I am. People just come to look at the gelato and point orders without noticing me. Where are you from?” She went on to tell us that people have gotten so negative since the pandemic. It has changed people’s attitudes. We were shocked at how easy it was to stand out.
What did Jesus do? He was focused on people and their freedom. He was always ready to stop for the one. He healed people’s bodies and restored their hearts. He freely forgave. He was not focused on the cares of this world. His mission is always people-focused.
Jesus says, “You are the light of the world.” Now, more than ever, the Body of Christ can shine in the post-pandemic darkness. How can we do that better?
In Session 2 of The Master’s Program, we discuss LifeMastery of the Personal Realm. We describe Jesus’ prerequisites for Kingdom participation. You must master your Body in health, transform your Mind to Jesus’ words, manage your Soul to practice love in relationships and have a Spirit that remains plugged into the Trinity. These practices are mission-critical for Kingdom living. They are critical to Jesus’ reputation on earth.
What is the story you’re telling yourself? This simple question can transform your ability to practice LifeMastery of your Personal Realm. The concept comes from Breńe Brown. I’ve folded it into my standard behavior and have successfully used it with teams in my business coaching cities.
It turns out we don’t have all the information about the people we interact with. In our humanness, we tend to fill in the blanks with negative information. Our brains tell us negative stories about others and the reasons for their behavior.
What story are you telling yourself about the person in front of you? What story are you telling about a person on the street, a friend, or your spouse? You will act based on the story you’re telling yourself. If your story about others is negative, so will your actions be, often choking off any love for them. It will prevent you from seeing the humanness in others and being the hands and feet of Jesus.
I challenge you to adopt a new habit:
Start listening to these negative stories. Increase your awareness of them.
When you see grumpy people or when people are upset with you, your brain will likely tell a negative story leading to a posture of defensiveness.
Start replacing them with the love of Jesus. Revise your stories.
Let them off the hook. Find the positive. Become good at editing your story to see others as Jesus sees them. Create a mindset of forgiveness. Tell yourself an alternate story about how they might be hurting and need love. Open your eyes to see people in the light of eternity and a loving Father’s desire to heal their souls and hearts. By bringing Jesus’ forgiveness and love into the story, your natural response will be more POWERFUL, more ENGAGING, and more LOVING.
Remember, we are the reputation of Jesus. What people say about Christians influences how they perceive who Jesus is. We must practice LifeMastery in the Personal Realm. One of the most accessible pathways to transformation is simply telling yourself stories about people that Jesus would tell. Begin to see people as Jesus sees them and watch your loving actions follow.
In your corner,
Rob
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This was EXCELLENT. It isn’t too far off from some of the conversations I’ve had with my wife and 2 teenage sons, driving in the car, at the kitchen table, etc. That includes the Brene Brown reference. I am going to share this video with them tonight, so they can hear it from someone else. 🙂 It is so fundamental, and also so vital today, where Jesus’ reputation has been tarnished over time. We turn that around one relationship or one conversation at a time (gelato). “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). I recall Bob at a MP session many years ago, where I first heard he simple command(s) to Love God, Love People, Make Disciples.