Sunday Afternoon Tea

Ideas have consequences.  (Richard Weaver)

Thankfully, although I am a week late from when I planned to write these ponderings, I can still remember them.  Which is a good thing since I did not write them down!  Perhaps I should someday ponder getting older?  Ummm... I don't think so.  ;)

So, this is actually the third part of ponderings about being salt and light to the Culture around us as Christians... especially in an age when to be a Bible believing Christian is held in cultural disdain by many.

I was thinking how my young Hindu friend told me I was the first Christian who had discussed "ideas" with him.  Now that truly floored me because he grew up in a University town that I know has many Christians living in it who work at that college and live in his neighborhood.

However, the more I thought of it I realized my love of talking about ideas came from my early years as a Christian and the influence of (once again) the Schaeffer's during that time my theology and doctrine were being formed. 

Their entire ministry at L'abri was about the sharing of ideas. 

So many of the Christian leaders in my church whom I respected either went to L'abri to study or they were deeply affected by the books of both Francis and Edith... thus, they also loved to share Christian Truth with the culture.

God uses who you are and what you are to reach the culture.  He doesn't ask you to be something you are not.  Now, he may push you out of your comfort zone now and then but only to use gifts He has already given.

For instance, I could never be a street corner preacher.  Never could... never would.  But give me an opportunity to talk about books and ideas and such... no problem.   I could write Bible studies and teach a Sunday School Class to adults but I dreaded nursery duty (even though I worked my required weeks when my children were that age).

I worked in politics, Concerned Women for America, and volunteered for candidates whom I believed in when I was younger.  But run for office?  Oh my, no... I hate confrontation.  Can't stand it!  Just recently I had a confrontation with a neighbor who is usually quite nice but he was drunk... I was shaking for hours afterward.

I am convinced while there are many instances where God places us in families, in neighborhoods, in jobs, and other social circumstances to share His Truth with others... there are probably as many or more instances where you will affect others by "just" praying for them.

Our neighbor who was drunk and loud is usually one we work well with.  However, the unmarried couple have always been people who live an entirely different existence than we do.   We would never be a part of their inner circle.  But we have prayed for them throughout the years a great deal, especially for her son from another relationship.

I had recently become lax about praying for my neighbors and I truly believe God allowed this recent occurrence as a reminder that they need someone to pray.  Have you ever thought of the fact that these days many people have no one praying for them?

It has taken me a long time to truly understand how He uses our gifts and how they may change with the seasons of our life.  In my late teens, my fellow coffeehouse ministry friends used to laugh at how I would "run where angels fear to tread".  I had become a Christian in my mid-teens and experienced a radical salvation.  I wanted to be David Wilkerson in my Midwestern town!

As a grandmother, I'm more likely to bake cookies and sit on my sofa having a one-on-one chat with a Hindu friend or chatting with you through this blog.  But both are using gifts given for "such a time as this".  :)

If you can read this, He can use you in this dark age we find ourselves living.  You have an entirely unique set of friends and relatives... along with His gifts and abilities.  You may be in a season of life where you are able to accomplish quite a lot to be salt and light in the culture.

But you may also find yourself in a season of life where it is not as easy to get around as you once did (can't it be frustrating?).  Whether you are or not remember this... everyone needs someone praying for them.

Not to mention this country needs a lot of us praying for another Great Awakening.  No longer can a political party or a person save America... only through prayer can we see change. 

Who knows but this is why we are all living "for such a time as this"?