A clear focus

 

A former pastor impressed me with this: Some Christians become so focused on one truth about God and Christianity that their understanding becomes like looking at something with a magnifying glass, everything else around the edges becomes distorted and blurry.

I’ve noticed this with those who have strong spiritual gifts. A gifted server thinks everyone should be doing practical things. A person with a generous heart stresses sacrificial giving. An evangelist thinks all Christians should focus on soul-winning.

As for the latter, Jesus did say, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:15–16) He also said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” (John 20:21)

Paul was focused too. Even though his particular concern was winning souls, he added instruction about how to do it:

And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:30–2:5)

Paul also explained that other things needed to be done. The body consists of various gifted people who do various different things. For instance:

For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:4–8)
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Ephesians 4:11–16)

I’m not behind a pulpit or in a social position that offers many opportunities to ‘preach’ or share the gospel. God gave me a computer and told me to share His truths with others, truths that He teaches me every day. Part of His desire for my life is to gather from Him and share with others, and another focus is prayer, particularly for His truth to be lived out in the people on my prayer list.

Others share Him in varying ways, including (but not limited to) full-time missionary work. This goal of winning souls is important, but also I’m to be growing in love for God and for others in ways that glorify Jesus Christ. The work of the Body of Christ is not limited to telling. We are to take care of the needy, be peacemakers, love our enemies and “let our light shine so others will see our good works and give glory to our Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

While it is not wrong to focus, it is not biblical to tell others they must post their devotions in a daily blog, or be a missionary and go to Africa, or feed the homeless, or “be like me.” Instead, we are called to be like Jesus — who took His orders from His Father through the Holy Spirit.

PRAY: Jesus, it is such a delight watching You bring great unity from great diversity. Our hearts are united in wanting souls saved, but also in loving You. More and more You work in us to love one another and listen to Your voice as You guide our lives. To focus only on one part of what it means to be a Christian would side-track me from hearing You and knowing what to do when challenged by things that so easily become blurry around the edges.