Story Published:
Feb 9, 2012 at 9:26 PM CDT
Story Updated:
Feb 9, 2012 at 9:26 PM CDT
“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15
What a magnificent and confident statement by Joshua! Which one?? All of them. We live in a day an age where we count and calculate every syllable so we will not or will not be perceived as trying to offend someone. For this reason, we “water down” many of our statements of faith and belief. Joshua challenged Israel to serve the Lord.
He doesn’t mix his words at Shechem where this text is delivered. Joshua is an old man nearing the end of his life and is concerned with the spiritual direction of Israel. I believe one reason why we struggle with evangelism as Christians is because we’re ambiguous with what we believe. We’re ambiguous with what we believe because we do not want to offend anyone.
I have many things in my office that remind me of Dallas, Texas. One is a picture of a Dallas Cowboys helmet. Yes, I’m a big fan and am not ashamed to tell people “I’m a big fan”. I am ridiculed often, but I don’t mind because I’M A BIG DALLAS COWBOYS FAN!
I hear many Christians say things that disturb me: “I’m a Christian, but I’m not holy!”
Huh?
“I’m a Christian, but I refuse to support the church.” What? “I love the Lord, but I have to keep doing my own thing.” Really? Joshua challenged Israel, but his illustrated point was very personal. “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” He wanted them to return to God, but he was confident of at least one family that would stay with the Lord. There should be no ambiguity when it comes to our witness for Jesus. There should be no confusion between what we say and what we do for Christ. We actually should not have to say it.
Our lives should scream I AM A CHRISTIAN AND PROUD OF IT! Am I saying that you should go out of your way to make others uncomfortable about your belief, your faith, and your conviction? No. But you will make many uncomfortable just by being you – a person saved by Jesus Christ. You know, there’s something good about being uncomfortable – it makes you change your position.
And I pray that your life will cause many change their position and focus from themselves to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
