Connecting Point: Every Day's Mission

Christian organizations and city government, both businesses that I know best, strengthen their purpose by reviewing, and at times rewriting, their mission statement. From this then flows, among other things, planning, then long-term goals and disbursements. At times entities can get off mission. It might seem an oversimplification, but drawing back to the Bible, and Christ’s very simplicity has helped the church not just a few times.

I’m a strong proponent of Biblical values and find that the Epistle of Hebrews makes a firm case for persevering in Christ, both in hard times and good. If we are to follow Jesus we must develop some “grit”, having a strong capacity to withstand internal and external pressures. Certainly, the Hebrews faced daunting odds.

A common mission for Christians worldwide centers around making the Gospel known to all, to let others know that Jesus saves us from our sins and that he is the only way to heaven. Now, this is communicated in various forms, but in essence, most of us are on the same page. In order for each of us to contribute to this overall mission, we need to keep up our personal guard—our own hearts need protection.

FROM HEBREWS: “See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. As has just been said: ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts,’” (Hebrews 3:12-15).

The Christian journey is a daily event; on our way, we are to encourage others to follow Jesus. Most breakdowns or distractions among Christians share something in common, PRIDE. We call out the splinter in another’s eye and forget to address the larger plank on our own, and, yes, I’m referring to sin. None of us has the ability to go through this life without sinning. At our individual points of salvation, we acknowledge our need for Jesus to save us. The fact is, we still depend upon him.

Here are four takeaways regarding sin. One, sin is deceitful when it approaches us. Two, sin is canny. Sin looks and sounds pleasurable so that it can destroy us. If we tolerate it, it will turn our hearts to stone. Think about it, sin in full exposure and its consequences are unattractive, even fearful. Glimmering with allure, sin, yet, is bitter and nasty.

Three, sin tricks with labels. As the days and years go by, we can become more accustomed to accepting sinful behavior. Four, sin is deceitful in all its excuses. Not too many years ago most of us agreed on rights and wrongs. Wow, how far have we come? Gestures of reconciliation, concern for the poor, and the exercise and desire for justice, are but a few of the opposites with which we can defend

against sin’s tricks.

Let us take the Bible at face value; we must guard our hearts so that we do not find ourselves on the slippery slope of turning away from Jesus. This mission is personal and one to practice every day.