Saturday, July 25, 2015

July 25, 2015

It is somewhat of a challenge being an introvert and an evangelical Christian. The Gospel mandate couldn't be clearer: "Go into the world and make disciples of all peoples..." For extroverted Christians, this is like feeding sugar to an ADHD kid; pretty soon they're bouncing off one sinner right into the next one, like a religious rubber ball. But people like myself are seriously challenged by Jesus' command; we don't like it, but we can't escape it.

This morning I went to a bike blessing and ride sponsored by the Panama UM church. About thirty people showed up, ate breakfast, received pastor Steve's blessing, then took off on the ride. The day was perfect; sunny but not too warm, and the bikes stretched out before and behind me, half a mile either way. In one sense, a ride like this is just what the doctor ordered for people like me. We can be together, but on a bike, you're all alone; an introvert's definition of perfection. But the gathering time is difficult, trying to strike up conversations with people I don't know.

Linda tried to make it better by telling me that God made me just the way I am, but we must be careful with that kind of talk; it's the same argument offered by the LGBT community: "God made us this way." What I do and do not do cannot be solely dependent on how I feel about it. The command of Christ is as clear as it can be; his call to go into the world with the Gospel is not a suggestion. It is a command. So I lean on conversation starters. My sidecar motorcycle is a conversation starter. Whenever I'm parked somewhere, inevitably someone stops to inquire about it. So I wrote a Gospel tract giving information about the bike and my testimony concerning Jesus Christ.

This afternoon when I got home from the ride, our side yard was filled with people; adults with blankets spread out on the grass, and kids swimming in the creek. I went down to introduce myself and to let them know they are welcome to swim and have a good time, but we appreciate when they pick up all their rubbish before they leave. I've met more people at the swimming hole this summer than I encounter in almost any other way. Being an extrovert, Linda is better at it than I am, but we both are using our swimming hole as an evangelistic opportunity. God is dropping people in our laps. The least we can do is tell them about Jesus and invite them to church. I'm still not as bold about this as I'd like to be. The Scripture says, "The righteous are bold as lions." I'm working on the righteous part, trusting that the closer I get to the mark, the more boldness God will give me. As I work on it, I am grateful for these tools that open doors this introvert would normally pass by without even knocking. Introvert or not, Jesus said, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." It's pretty clear: if I'm not fishing; I'm not following. My bike and my yard are the bait. It's up to me to cast the line and see what's biting.

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