Among Them, Not of Them

Among Them, Not Of Them

I attended dinner, and the ladies at my table were sharing jokes back and forth.  After awhile one said to me, “you are the kind of friend we would have to leave in the car when we go to do something bad”.  Later that night I started to think, what made her make that statement.  Was it because she knows I’m a Christian? Or was it because I didn’t participate in the joke-telling? Or maybe it’s because she knows that I’m a Missionary?  Either way, I would like to think it’s because although I’m ‘among’ them, I’m not ‘of’ them. 

 Many times throughout Jesus’ ministry, He spent time ‘among’ people that others thought He shouldn’t.  Why is that important?  How will people experience the love of Christ, or see demonstrations of Christ-like behavior if Christians separate themselves?

The 2^nd Chapter of Mark is a perfect example.  Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, and ‘many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples’ (verse 15).  The Jewish tax collectors were regarded as outcasts, and to eat with a person was a sign of friendship.  When the Pharisees saw this, they questioned Jesus’ disciples about the company He was keeping.  Jesus replied, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (verse 17). 

Jesus saw the dinner at Levi’s house as an opportunity to share the Good News with those who needed it most.  He didn’t require them to change before coming to Him.  He met them where they were. The fact that Jesus saw beyond the persons ‘sin’ to their need, certainly inspired them to know Him better.

There is an old quote that says, ‘Be careful how you live.  You may be the only Bible some person ever reads.’  What a true and powerful statement.  What are people ‘reading’ when they see you go about your daily life?  Do they experience the love of Christ, and see the attributes of Christ?

If we are to reach the lost, we must come in contact with them. “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:38).  Are you ready?

Missionary Margaret Slaughter