Yesterday I asked a bunch of apocalyptic questions God can use to get the ball rolling in people’s lives.
An apocalypse is a revelation of truth that changes the world as we know it. When God gets our attention and blows our minds, the revelation is often so overwhelming that the temptation is to think, “That’s all there is, there ain’t no more.” But something that big always leads to more. Always.
Today, I offer three questions designed to help us figure out how deep the rabbit hole really goes:
1. If THIS is true, then what else is true?
2. If THIS is true, then what is false?
3. What are the implications of these truths? What does this change?
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Here’s how this could look. On a personal level, this summer God opened my eyes to a simple truth:
1. If THIS is true, then what else is true?
People are either leading, following, coasting, or drifting. Biblically speaking, following is active, not passive. It is an act of obedience, not of abdicating my responsibility.
2. If THIS is true, then what is false?
Following a leader is not a sign of immaturity, but of maturity. People will not outgrow their need to be led like I’ve been unconsciously assuming.
3. What are the implications of these truths? What does this change?
This led to a conversation with God in which he clarified my call to leadership. It means I need to get over my reticence to lead. It means there are all kinds of teams and situations in church that are drifting, not because of immaturity or laziness, but because they need a leader to lead them. It means I’m going to have to get my hands dirty and lead in the details, not just the vision.
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The problem, you see, is that many people, me included, gobble up a truth without doing the work that would give that truth a place to grow in their hearts. When seeds are planted in us, Jesus says birds can snatch up the seeds, shallow soil and gravelly substrate can prevent roots from growing, and weeds can choke the plants (parable of the sower, Matthew 13). When it comes to preaching or evangelism, we see those problems as being located in others. They are beyond our control.
But turn the parable on its head. We ought to ask, “Jesus, what about me? What if I’m the field? What are my bird/gravel/weed issues, and how can I get rid of these so your truths can take root in my life and produce a crop?”
Food for thought.