Most of you have all figured out by now, that your Lay Leader is on her last term of public service. At the time I am writing this newsletter, I have EXACTLY 14 months, 29 days, 9 hours, 27 minutes, and 33… now 32 seconds remaining in my 5th and final term. Most of my years, public service has been an absolute honor. Lately though, I question… ”is this the public I signed up to serve?”
Let’s face it; even we Christians can be brutal to each other some days. So many people begin their statements with, “I am a Christian.” Then, nothing that follows even remotely resembles what I have grown up understanding Christianity to be in this world. I have started scanning the room when it happens these days and wondering how many people are being exposed to what it means to live daily as a Christian with an example that breaks my heart quite honestly.
One good thing that has come from the intense divisiveness in the world of politics over the past few years, is that it has helped me clearly define how I want the world to hear the message of Christ, as it comes from my lips. My quick temper, has been for the most part, replaced by a deep breath and prayer to let my words show people what it means to love each other even when we strongly disagree.
It’s funny in a morbid kind of way when you think about it. I consider masks for example, a medical and health topic… not a political one. I am painfully aware, other people do not. Yet, I seriously have people snapping pictures of me as I take my dog to the groomer or when I am trying to have lunch with a friend. Then they put the pictures all over social media with whatever message they want to communicate. Friends text me and ask why I don’t respond.
What my faith has taught me over what have been two… maybe three of the most difficult years of my life, is that no response IS a response. I cannot control what others speak. I cannot change how others portray their faith to the world. I CAN control the words from my own lips and from the strokes of my own keyboard.
I want the world to see Christ at work in me. I don’t want to portray an image of false perfection because Christianity is the acknowledgment that only one perfect person has ever walked this earth and it wasn’t any of us! To me, faith is being messy and owning it. Faith is knowing I am enough, and I am forgiven even when I mess up. It’s working hard to love my neighbors in the best way I can and still getting it wrong sometimes. Faith is loving the person, who clearly does not love me… YET (I am an eternal optimist) because God loved me enough… just as I am… to have his only son die for me. Guess what? He died for them too.
This pandemic has exhausted everyone. Please learn from my battle-weary heart and choose your words in this world carefully. Let them hear your heart in a way that speaks your truth in love. If we don’t choose wisely, we not only make them less likely to understand our viewpoint, but they are also less likely to draw near and understand that Savior we serve. Speak truth in love.
“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14
If you would like to view past editions of A Message from Kim, follow this link: https://sounddistrictnc.org/category/from-district-lay-leader/
If you would like to connect with Kim please do so through her email, k.smith@nccumc.org