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An Obligation

Dictionary.com defines obligation as a binding promise, contract, or sense of duty. As humans, we are obligated to do certain things in life. Based on our individual circumstances, those obligations may look different, but everyone has something he or she is obligated to do. As Christians, we all have one very important obligation in common: share the Good News of Jesus Christ. 

Somewhere along the way, I have lost sight of this, and this morning, Jesus gave me a rude awakening in the book of Romans. In verse 1:14, Paul says, "I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish." Hello. Thanks for that reminder, Jesus.  

I have noticed a change in my attitude lately when it comes to other people and their sins, life choices, and messiness...My attitude says, "I can help you, love you, tell you about Jesus if you are a good person. I can accept you if you are like me. If you believe what I believe and act like I act, there is hope for you, and I can love you through your current circumstances." That's about as a far from Jesus's attitude as it can get. Like Paul makes clear in the book of Romans, Jesus's attitude says, "Whoever you are, wherever you are, no matter what you've done or will do, I love you, I accept you, I forgive you. You will always find hope in Me." Clearly, I need to be more like Jesus. 

Just to get real for a minute, one of the most obvious and on-going instances of this in my life right now is my boyfriend's best friend. I love my boyfriend with all my heart. His best friend, however, not so much. I think he's a bad influence, I don't agree with the majority of his lifestyle choices, and I give my boyfriend a hard time every time they're together. When I'm around the friend, I speak down to him, make snide comments, and have even outright told him how much I disapprove of him. Not much of a reflection of Jesus, right? I've never spoken to him in love, asked him about how he got where he is, invited him to church - or even to dinner for that matter. I am so opposite of what Jesus is, it's not even funny. 

Maybe if I had spent half as much time getting to know and loving him as I did judging and putting him down, things would be different in his life by now. I have NOT fulfilled my obligation as  a Christian when it comes to him....and he's not the only one. 

Jesus gave me a reality check this morning, and it's time for me to get it together. I am ready to make a difference. I'm ready to serve and love. I'm ready to change. Today, I begin to fulfill my obligation again. 
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