Living Invitation

You’ve heard of reality T.V.. But what about reality parables? Right now we are living out the Great Banquet. We’re that guy who runs out and becomes a living invitation, delivering God’s Impartial Invitation to others.

This week in Romans chapter 10, I tripped over this;

¹⁴How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? ¹⁵And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Romans 10:14-15

I’ve never liked this passage because I am not a natural evangelist. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the incredible blessing I have received. I know with confidence that before I became the guy running out into the streets, I was that guy on the street; the poor, crippled, and blind … the Gentile.

I was one of those on the edge, invited out of the darkness to dine in the Kingdom of God. And I understand that now, it’s my turn to go and be a living invitation to the world. It’s just really … really, really … daunting.

God’s Posties

Yes, I understand we all need to participate in all functions of the body. And it’s true that each child of God is gifted by the Spirit in some way for building up God’s Kingdom. But let’s be honest, there are gifted evangelists, and then there’s the rest of us.

The world is huge. It’s full of people (flag waving introvert speaking here). The need is extreme. Where do I go? What if I stuff it up and say the wrong thing?

As I was reflecting on these and other valid arguments, the image of a postie came to mind.

Stay with me, it will make sense.

Each morning at the post office, a sorting crew portions mail into piles for each of the Posties to collect. Each postie then delivers thier mail to the folks on their own unique circuit. Mail that someone else has prepared, packaged, and posted. Not everyone receives mail every day, and not every item of mail is the same.

It gives me great comfort knowing that God is like the Postmaster. As He oversees the whole district, the Father breaks the job up into achievable portions which he assigns to His workers for their particular circuit. He (God, not the postmaster) has even written the mail and decided what format it will be presented in, and who will receive it.

A living letter

Jesus is the Word of God. When He walked among us, his whole life revealed the Kingdom of God. Our Lord testified to the love of the Father through the spoken word. But He also proclaimed it in every step, every action and every beat of his heart.

testimony (to something) (formal) a thing that shows that something else exists or is true
Oxford Dictionary

As we live life, submitting to the transformation of the Spirit, we too become a testimony to the love of the Father, showing the truth of Jesus Christ.

¹¹Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
Mark 13:11

Our goal is to be in tune with the Spirit in order to discern the Father’s message written on our hearts and in our minds; the wellspring of our thoughts, words and actions.

Then, as God’s posties, we deliver that message; an impartial invitation, written with our lives, to the people on our particular circuit.

To some we will be a postcard. To others, a newsletter. And to a few, we will be that long-awaited package. But regardless, it will be the Father’s message, circuit and audience. All we have to do is deliver it as a living invitation.