Greetings in the name of the one who knows all about us and still loves us, Jesus Christ – THE Crucified and Risen Saviour! I trust that you had a grand weekend and Monday, enjoying the weather and the beauty of creation. I know that there is much going on in lives right now and today as I pray for you, I will ask Father to release healing to bodies, minds, relationships, and emotions.
The City Church in Seattle, Washington, is activating an interesting community campaign. They are asking people to respond to a “Fill-In-The-Blank” survey question. It, apparently, has generated much interest and there has been some interesting responses and many a conversation. The survey question: ” Jesus is ____________________________ and there has been several methods to respond – email and text message and tweets & twitters and even old-fashioned phone calls. On the part of the church, there has been no attempt to correct or admonish but to simply listen…and if the opportunity arises, to simply tell someone who Jesus is to them.
I fear that too often we don’t allow people to be honest with us…we don’t really listen, we simply wait to share our insights and give them instructions. One of the best things I like about Jesus in the stories of scripture are when he was listening to and enjoying the moment with people. More than once Jesus asked the question: “what can I do for you?” and I know he asked his disciples the survey question: Who do you think Jesus is ___________________________? I wonder if we are really listening to people? The other thing I like about Jesus…he always accepted the responses with grace…as did the City Church. Do we get shocked at responses, get defensive, run and hide, stand fight, or some other response that silently says more than we intended?
What about you today, how would respond: Jesus is ______________________________ and use honest, talking-across-the-table speech? Some time ago a man declared: …as a man thinketh in his heart, so he is…Proverbs 23:7 KJV.