Who Did Jesus Hang Out With?

Jesus hung out with the poor, the outcast, the lonely. Sinners, prostitutes, tax collectors, Samaritan “dogs”, women caught in adultery, lepers, cheats, theives, drunkards, idolaters, and murderers. The unclean.

Who do I hang out with?

I’m sitting in the airport in Newark, New Jersey getting ready to board a plane to India. I am traveling to the other side of the planet to encourage our Indian friends serving the Lord in difficult circumstances as they keep shining their light in the darkness. I make this trip every six months and in many ways I dred it. It is exhausting. I feel like I have the flu most of the time because I am so tired. The travel is rigorous and the culture is unfamiliar. There is much that I leave behind left undone. This is my sixth trip to India and in many ways, I know nothing about the country. It is so vast, intricate, and overwhelming. What can I do? What do I have to offer?

Still, I sense God leading me – compelling me to do what I do. God is working in the mountains of Northern India. He is pushing on the structure of Hinduism that keeps this nation bound and one day it will bow the knee to Jesus. People are coming to faith in Christ and the light shines brighter. I get to be a part of that. Humbling.

Still, I am left to face the question, do I live like Jesus at home? It is easy, in a sense, to dine with the poor around the world. It only costs you some money and a week of your time. Plus, you have some cool stories to tell and in your more shameful moments you get to act superior to all of those Christians who don’t do anything in global missions and development work.

But, the true tale of our heart’s condition involves what we do in our day-to-day. Who do we hang out with? Do people see Jesus in us, or do they see religion, rules, and the things that stand between people and God? Jesus came to reconcile men to God. Do we? Jesus tore down the barriers between people and God? Do we? Or, do we, by our own separation from the world into “holy clubs” testify to a god that is aloof, distant, ethereal?

If we want to be holy, we must look to Jesus. He defines holiness. His life is holy. How is it possible to proclaim holiness and not look like Jesus?

If I am going to go across the world I have to go across the street. If Jesus is leading me, my life will look like His. As I sit in the airport in New Jersey, I have to deal with Jesus. Always Jesus.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

6 Responses to Who Did Jesus Hang Out With?

  1. Convicting post.
    Sometimes I wonder if NON-believers read these blogs and see the bickering and ‘discussions’ and say those are Christians? I’m better off as an atheist!
    The Gospel is always before us, shaping and defining us and calling us to pick up our cross and follow Him.
    Thanks for the post.

  2. You always have a way of cutting through our religious facade. Thanks for your candidness and obedience. I’ll be praying for you and Bill.

  3. Just studying about Jesus and the people He was around during His earthly ministry and ran across your post. Great thoughts. I’m at this point in my life trying my best to get into the life of those in the world. I have no “not-yet-Christian” friends. My question to me is, “How am I going to be any kind of real difference to the “tax collectors and sinners” if I’m not building some kind of relationship with them. Thanks for your boldness. I plan on reading this to a group of believers tonight.

  4. How fun! I linked to this on last weekend’s weekly roundup and am just now getting around to letting you know. (I guess we were busy celebrating Easter!) Thanks so much for sharing!