Many years ago playing music in the local bars and pubs was my main activity on weekends. Sometimes things would get a little “western” to say the least. One fellow we knew used to try and sneak into the local watering holes while still underage, but on one occassion he ended up in an altercation with some bikers outside one of the premises which evidently went rather badly for him, because in the ensuing fight he ended up literally getting thrown right through a big plate glass window and into the bar! This was quite the joke around Lac La Hache for years after…probably the only town in Canada where an underage guy actually got thrown into a bar.
It makes me think now of the huge contrast for me personally, and what a blessing it is to be part of our local church sponsored coffeehouse evenings in downtown LLH. Where the strongest thing on tap is caffeinated coffee, yet where folks are showing up in just as many numbers, looking forward to some company and a great variety of musical and poetic talent which usually includes some excellent original material too.
For us Christians, this type of event is an important way to become much more connected with our community, to build trust, to hopefully maximize already established relationships with unbelievers and/or the unchurched, meet new people, let our (Jesus) light shine and experience new opportunities to ultimately share the Gospel, or perhaps invite someone to Church to hear it there.
We prayerfully trust the Lord with all of this, realizing that Jesus was often called a “friend of sinners”, and knowing of course that if all we ever do is associate with other Christians, we’re never going to be able to share Christ with people that need Him! We pray for wisdom individually in giving Biblically informed answers, yet we know God uses us collectively as well, like a network. Like the way they fished in Jesus’ day using nets, which were so much more effective than the lone ranger approach of merely dangling single separate lines in the water.
Because often if the Lord uses one of us to plant a seed, He will then use someone else to water it. And a really big element of the freedom we have in Christ is knowing that only God can grant the increase! (1Cor 3:6). Not us. That responsibility and that work and that pressure is His, and it should be liberating for us.
Jesus said “…I will make you fishers of men.” (Matt 4:19, emphasis mine). Not our techniques, methodologies, programs, formulas…but Him! And He continues to do just that, as we prayerfully seek to allow Him to live in us more fully and to use us as He sees fit. All praise, thanks, and glory to Him!
Blessings, Bruce
