Am I different?

I like people. I am a very social person. Most of my parent teacher conferences when I was a child went something like this “Patsy is a very bright child, but she talks too much”. I even had a few job evaluations that went that way too. I love to hear people’s stories. When I was at the marathon last weekend, I looked at all the people, over 400, and would have loved to have had the opportunity and time to ask them all why they were there to run. When I’m at church and I see the 1000 people in that service with me and I only know a small portion of them, I am curious to know how long have they been a Christian? What brought them to Newspring? What needs are in their life that I could pray for. I could go on and on and on.
I also am a talker. (Didn’t see that coming, did you). Matthew 12:36 “But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” This makes me nervous. Good thing God is omnipresent and will be able to be other places while I’m accounting for my words, because I’m sure I’m going to require a good portion of his time this day. How about Psalm 39:1 “I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.” I have to watch this. Not sinning with my tongue. The more words you say, the more chances you have to sin or even just offend someone. I wish I was able to talk into little cartoon bubbles and see my words before they actually were released audibly. Then I could edit them or even delete them. Kind of like I do on facebook. I can’t tell you how many times I see something from Sean Sorenson or Jenny Cummins and I type a biting sarcastic comment, hit post, read it, and then hit delete. Not for Sean or Jenny, they would know I was kidding. But for all the people who know Sean and Jenny and don’t know me that would think I was just an awful person. I do post these sarcastic type comments on my childhood now pastor friend in Indiana, Rick Gering’s page because all of our mutual friends would know me from the same time and place and would be okay with it. I’m not sure how his congregation sees it. They may think I need to be looking for the bears to come out of the woods to maul me like the children who mocked Elisha after Elijah was taken to Heaven. They wouldn’t know that I have the utmost respect for Rick and love him and his wife dearly. Having said that, Please God, don’t call Steve to lead worship in Indiana because I would never be able to overcome my reputation from facebook.
I have this need to be special and be valued. I know who I am in Christ, I really do get that, but there is something inside me that wants people to like me and want to talk to me and be around me. I want people to be interested in me and like me enough to listen to what I say. And I think this is okay, because Jesus was always with crowds of people. I want also to make sure that I never miss an opportunity to tell the people I get to be around and talk to about Jesus and what he has done for me. I wonder how many lost people want someone to listen and really care about them? How many people don’t know Christ and feel alone and abandoned and have no hope, and need us as Christians, no, they NEED ME as a Christian to be the difference in their life.
The song “Point of Difference” by Hillsong United, says it very well.

The tide is turning, This is redemption's hour

In the midst of the world lost for love, You are all we have now

The lost returning, Salvation is all around In the midst of the world broken down,

You are all we have now For You are God and this hope is ours

So Father open the skies, Flood the Earth with your light

This is love, to break a world indifferent

Our hearts are burning, The fire that won't burn out In the midst of a world that's grown cold, You are all we have now

The earth resounding, The anthem of your renown As we lift up our eyes,

And look to your glory Call us out let the world see, You are God and this hope is ours

Open the skies, Flood the Earth with your light This is love to break a world indifferent

As we lift up our eyes, Fill our hearts with your fire In a world the same we'll be the difference, the difference.

Our eyes are open, Every chain now broken, In this world we are different,

Let your love become us, As we live to make you famous

We're in this world but we are different.

Since the first time I heard this song it has been on my heart that I need to be showing the love of Christ and the hope I have in Christ to a broken down, lost for love world. I need to be making every attempt to be this difference.