I've been Kicked to the curb - and I LOVE IT!

Ok, this is probably not what you're thinking, but there's a whole new meaning to this expression after Pastor Woodward and Leaman's messages on Sunday!  I wanted to share it with you because it's important!  I am glad to be "kicked to the curb" and will never go back inside again!


In Luke 10:2 Jesus said to His followers (which now includes us) "What a huge harvest! And how few the harvest hands. So on your knees; ask the God of the Harvest to send harvest hands."  And that's usually where we hear it stop... It's almost an excuse we use to pray and not go.  But the very next few words out of Jesus mouth were "On your way! But be careful—this is hazardous work. You're like lambs in a wolf pack."  So are we?  Are we on our way in reaching?


In Acts 1:7 a few "churchies" (disciples) asked Jesus if He was going to bless their church (Judaea) in order to show the world around them He was the one true God and to draw those people in... In essence, to show the rest of the world they were right all along (and yes they probably would have held themselves in high regard for being right).  Jesus' response was quite "in your face" and definitely to the point of where the question had originated...  It's as if He heard them saying "Listen those people are dirty, low, they are uneducated in your ways and if we actually move out of our comfort zone to try and reach them we may get pulled into their disgusting culture!"  I'm not quite sure what they were thinking by asking Jesus this question in this particular way, probably trying to sugar coat and make it sound innocent as we so often do.  Jesus always sees the reason behind the question, there is no use pretending something comes from a pure heart if you're really just trying to justify your own actions, or lack thereof...  Jesus responded to the "churchies" by saying "GET OUT!  YOU go be a witness, that's what I called you to do in the first place!  Stop asking if I will bless you and draw people into my own church, are you drawing any in?  You say I am the most important thing in your life and I should be lifted high, but you don't even lift me high enough for others to see me, you only lift me high in the church building and what good can that do for anyone who needs me other than yourselves?!  I came to show you how to witness and give you power to witness but you're refusing to use it!  It's your calling to lead people to me, you are directed to go outside this building and into their territory, yes their "dirty, low, uneducated in my ways, disgusting" places and follow my example. Love them!" (Suzie paraphrase)


John 4:3-4  "He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.  And he must needs go through Samaria."  Must needs in this phrase indicated urgency... Samaria was considered to inhabit the lowest of low, people who had been just like the "churchies" but had married pagans and mixed cultures and religions with them, defiling God and themselves... But Jesus wanted to go there, and more than that he stopped to rest at a well where he met a Samaritan woman who was now with her 5th man, he talked with her, cared for her problems and even allowed her to give him water from the well (which in those days would be unthinkable and would be considered as defiling Jesus)...  


Matthew 9:10 "Later when Jesus was eating supper at Matthew's house with his close followers, a lot of disreputable characters came and joined them." (Message paraphrase) We can conclude that Jesus was happy to eat with these people, if not he could and most likely would have asked them to leave, and if they did not he certainly would have; it was common practice for the kind of people Jesus was sitting with to be ostracized...  Those kinds of people would not even think of trying to associate with "churchies" but somehow Jesus made them feel comfortable enough to crash his dinner party, sit beside Him, eat and talk with Him...  It would stand to reason they only felt this comfortable after Jesus extended His hand to them (more than likely on many unrecorded occasions).  We also know the "churchies" were upset by the next verse Matthew 9:11 "When the Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company, they had a fit, and lit into Jesus' followers.  "What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and riffraff?" (Message paraphrase)  But Jesus' answer was quick and cutting... Matthew 9:12-13 "Jesus, overhearing, shot back, "Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this Scripture means: 'I'm after mercy, not religion.' I'm here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders." (Message paraphrase) He made no bones about the fact that He was here to do the work of God and that the "churchies" were not doing their work...  I wonder what He would have to say about our work...


Back to the same story line of the disciples' question and Jesus' response... Acts 11:20-21 happens after the discussion of them asking that question and Jesus telling them to go... They did go, well, sort of...  Most witnessed to the one percent of people most like them...  But in verse 21 there were "a few reached for the rest, the whole world, anyone, no matter their color, culture, look, status, standing, lifestyle or creed...  And The Lord was with them, helping them and blessing their efforts." (Suzie paraphrase, again).  God loves people, all people, so we must.  We must LOVE them, REACH them, HELP them, BLESS them...WE MUST!!

Make a Smilebox collage

If you're wanting the attention of God to be on you, His ears listening to your words, His eyes on your situation and His spirit moving in your life... Then get your attention on His heart beat!  They say if you truly love with someone and spend time with them, eventually your hearts will beat in sync...  If you want His attention make sure you really are in love with Him, spending time with Him and that your heart beats in sync with His...   His heart beats for them, He loves them so we must!  Show your love and commitment toward Him through loving, blessing and REACHING for them, those,  ALL He loves (and He loves ALL).  Matthew 25:40 "Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.'" (Message Paraphrase).  2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent."  (NLT)


"The mission field doesn't start at the airport, it starts at the curb." - Rev. R. Woodward.  I have been "kicked to the curb" by God because that's where I can be of most benefit to others... I am doing these things for Him, and to Him therefore I am blessed and more than happy to be "Kicked to the Curb!"  Are you?