Tidbits for Thought

SHARING

1 Timothy 1:13-14 “Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” Before the Apostle Paul was touched by the hand of God, his focus in life was the persecution, torture and death of all in the Christian community that he might encounter. He was a black, sinister and evil force that terrified all believers…. the worst of all sinners by his own admission. When the hand of Christ touched him and entered into his life, that laser sharp focus turned to sharing the grace that had been bestowed upon him. The inspirational writer, W. Clement Stone, once wrote, “If you are really thankful, what do you do? YOU SHARE!” That is exactly what Paul did with his gratitude for the grace and salvation offered by Christ. He shared over and over and over throughout his part of the world how Christ touched him, changed him, saved him and loved him…….as dastardly a sinner as he was. His words, backed up by the example of a completely changed life, thoroughly modified the spiritual landscape of his world forever. His words are still changing lives today through his prolific writings recorded for us in Scripture and forever give meaning to the words, “grace like water always trickles into the lowest places.” (Author unknown) Grace touches each of us in a different way…some like a hammer between the eyes…some like soft snow falling on a meadow…. some loud and boisterous…some quiet and serene…. some on an intellectual level…some on an emotional level. Every story is different, but the end result is the same…. our lives were touched by the grace of our Lord, and we are forever changed. We didn’t expect it, we didn’t deserve it, and we couldn’t earn it. All we can do is accept the fact that we belong to Christ forever and let our gratitude propel us into a universe where we are willing to share that Good News with others wherever and whenever possible. No matter how or when you were touched by the grace of God, the power of your story is a gift that someone, somewhere is desperate to hear, IF your lifestyle and values bear witness to that grace. Your sharing can literally unlock the prison of a futile life and offer a path to paradise. When an individual life reflects the love of Christ and the values that He embodies, it is an open invitation for others to inquire about that faith. It is sometimes a very scary proposition to share your unabridged experience, strength and hope with someone on a personal and intimate level. However, when you seize the opportunity to openly share that very private part of your life, mountains of unbelief can be scaled, walls of hurt can be breached, rivers of despair can be bridged, sewers of hate and bigotry can be drained, doors can open, the hardest of hearts can be touched and miracles can and do happen. Think about it!                        ~ Aron Smith