I believe that we as Christ-followers need to bless the world with everything we have! And what I mean by that is we must people who “bestow good of any kind.” Now I don’t think this is earth shattering news to us. But what I wonder is, are we doing it? Are we people who are gracious, kind, loving, joyful, patient, generous and caring?
Years ago, I was visiting with a college student (not hard for me since I work with them) who was telling me how wait staff at restaurants hate Sundays. Since he was a waiter himself, I asked him why? He said, “It’s because the tips are the worst and the customers are the rudest!” And by the way, I’m not talking about some restaurant in some pagan part of the world. I’m talking about Bible-belt Texas where most of the customers are those who just left Sunday morning worship. Now true, it could have just been this one restaurant in this one town, but regardless, this should not be! Sunday lunch should be the time when every waiter and waitress want to work because the tips are so great and because the times with the customers are so encouraging.
Jesus told us that we are the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-14). I know there are a lot of meanings attached with these metaphors, but I believe that “doing good to others” is involved. How do we show the world the goodness of our God? Is it not by us blessing the lives of others? Does not “loving our neighbor as ourself” (Matthew 22:39) show those around us that God is a God of love?
I believe that if we are going to “make disciples of all nations,” we are going to have to be a people who bless others. For as we “do good” to those around us, we make the Christian life desirable. Madeleine L’Engle writes, “We draw people to Christ not by loudly discrediting what they believe, by telling them how wrong they are, but by showing them a light that is so lovely that they want with all their hearts to know the source of it.”
We must be the ones whose manners at the check out line and whose attitude during a lengthy wait at the drive-thru exhibit an unhurried kindness. Our lives must be lived for the “flourishing” of others, not personal gain. The quote “leave everything better than you found it” should also apply to the people we encounter as well. For as we do, we show the world the truth about the God we worship and the beauty of a life who follows him.
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