Wait, whose message—yours, or His?

Wait, whose message—yours, or His?

I hold unexpected joy.

It’s my alma mater’s prom night as I write. What makes this so unique—and so joyful—is my Boston, MA, niece has spent her senior year living next door with my mom. This high school senior has regularly presented some creative statement looks dressing for school, but tonight, I stand in awe. I have to be like millions of other parents on this night. I just didn’t think it through, I guess. I didn’t anticipate just how beautiful she’d be, how stunning, how—well, and this is most significant, how she would be her amazing self! She carried a spectacular look that was only hers.

Of course, this is leading to scripture. Amazing, joyful scripture. (This is, after all, my job here.) It’s John 17:20, a verse which was a part of Jesus praying to His Father. There is much affirmation and direction to this prayer if you, like me, engage its commentary. Since less can often be more, I share just this single verse from this past Sunday’s lectionary. It reads, “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.”  

Did you catch that? The recipients (and ‘recipients’ may not be the best word here) of this prayer are the disciples. Okay. Sure. We can get this. Jesus best buddying with his 12-pack is not new. This is. Jesus includes us, as in all of us through the centuries. He includes in His prayer those who carry His message today and tomorrow. But Jesus doesn’t say His message. He says our message.

So, someone is wondering, “Whose message is this—Jesus’ or ours?”

The answer is both.

I have limited space here, so I didn’t add the 2021 prom to fill a word count. I mention the prom and my niece specifically because when we live our best selves, we live Christ in us.

“Wait,” someone else is now thinking. “What?”

When we live to our potential, when we shine as ourselves, Christ is most easily seen in us.

The key here is the phrase ‘our best selves.’ Our best selves don’t max out on self-generated glory. Been there, done that, right? We are never enough alone. (Read your own story into what this means for the specific application/s.) The goal of self-improvement or near excellence never works well for long for anyone. Instead, our best selves reflect nothing in us except the work of Christ in us.

So, yes, Jesus wants His salvation message shared. This is His essence. His reason for being here on earth is bound to saving lives in His name. How does He do this best?

Jesus lets us wrap our own stories around His message.

Consider this. What captivates me may indeed hold you, too. I love other people’s stories. It excites me to hear or read about where others soar or settle in service to others. I get pumped by people who have passion. I get a charge out of the grade school Girl Scout who sells $30,000.00 worth of Girl Scout cookies with a pitch that can’t be beat. The high school sophomore who adds significance to medical research. The special needs janitor who brightens every one she meets. The senior citizen who never retires but keeps finding where and how God will use her talent.

Secularists can crowd this. Best-self promoters can tag along with my argument but here’s the down low, people. Love of self is only holding a mirror that one, will be dusty someday, or two, will crack when dropped.

No, our best selves really have nothing to do with ourselves. Our best selves—our messages—are indeed best because we shine not with our light, but Jesus’.

I am not saying every Jesus follower shines 365, 24, 7. Ooh, no. We all have our days, weeks, and maybe even our seasons. But one day even the lows—and there are lows—reveal from darkness to light who, exactly, Jesus is, and what, exactly, Jesus does. Which is save. And inspire. And light. And love.

Jesus is the jam to your two pieces of bread, the piano to your song, and the paint and the canvas to your art work.

Your message is yours. It is who you are. And even if things are a mess with you now, remember some of the best news. Jesus is praying for you, pulling for you, and providing for you. He is SO not done with you being you, which ultimately reflects on Him being Him.