Yesterday Brother Bryan was telling us about the turtle principal. When a turtle gets startled it draws its head back into its shell. It is nervous and anxious. I started thinking about turtles. How many of you have seen turtles crossing the highway and you say to yourself that poor turtle is going to get smushed by a big truck? I know you have. How many of you have stopped and picked up a turtle and helped it across the road? Many of us.
Brother Bryan questioned us and said, “Are you going to have courage or are you going to pull back in your shell when sharing about Jesus?”
We live in a society where Jesus is placed on the back burner. There are many things that come before Jesus because that is what society tells us to do. We don’t want to not fit in or not have friends. We want to go with the flow of society. I get it I was once there.
It is time that we stick our necks out for Jesus.
I go back to the turtle principal when I say stick your necks out. Think about the turtle again. A turtle doesn’t see the danger of crossing the highway. The turtle doesn’t know if the pavement is hot. The turtle doesn’t know if a semi-truck is rushing down the highway or a car or that he/she will be safe. The turtle doesn’t even know what is on the other side of the highway. They must be courageous, step onto the pavement, and scurry on over without being knowledgeable of any of this.
When living for Christ and having faith in Jesus we must be like the turtle with their necks stuck out crossing the road. The road may be scary, it may be painful, we may get crushed in the process and many times we don’t know what in the world is on the other side, but we need to get there. To bring others to Christ is scary at times. We don’t know what people will think. It may make us uncomfortable. They may say something to us we didn’t expect, but that doesn’t mean we stop sharing Christ or never venture across the highway.
I have learned that when we are venturing into the uncomfortable many times, we find our path and our purpose. The uncomfortable leads to comfortable. The crushing and pressing leads us into the new us, the new you. Scurrying into the unknown brings us closer to Jesus.
So, I say this stick your neck out be a turtle not an anxious turtle but a turtle moving forward and bringing others with you to Jesus. Jesus is our peace, our patience, and our understanding. Always go back to His words and be led by the Holy Spirit.
Find your highway and cross over. Find those that are waiting to be led to Christ on the other side. Find those that need a helping hand to cross over. Find those that are uncomfortable for some to approach. Find those that need Jesus. There are many out there. This is YOUR GO AHEAD. Go be the hands and feet.
To be the hands and feet and to have the courage to cross the road do these things:
1. Show up for JESUS – Start your day in the Word.
2. Show up for OTHERS – Serve others, whether they are like you or not, whether they annoy you or are difficult to understand. That is what Jesus did; He showed up for everyone.
3. Show up for YOU – You need to fill your cup before you can help fill others’ cups.
WE WILL FIND JOY WHEN WE SHOW UP FOR JESUS, OTHERS, AND OURSELVES.
As Father Mike says, “You pray for me, and I will pray for you.”
And as Tara Leigh says He’s where the joy is.
Have a great week, Cupcake loves you.
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