The number of people who don’t give a hoot how the they look are not many. But let me ask this. Can you think of anyone who does not want to ACT good?
We focus on Esther this week in scripture because she stuck her neck out at a time when it wasn’t pretty, when, in fact, she didn’t look good. She fell down at the king’s feet and, with tears in her eyes, she groveled in the hope of stopping the evil plot in place (Esther 8: 3b).
Tears? Groveling? Well, THAT sure doesn’t make anyone look good.
Most of us—honestly—aren’t thrilled to record and share a Jesus story for this current Stewardship campaign because of one silly, vein reason: we don’t think we’ll look good. We will stutter, ramble, or tear up.
We have a lot to think about this week. Faith or our face.
Dear Lord,
Wow! When it’s easy—or when we look good doing it—we’re in. We’re all for it. When, however, we may not look or sound our best, when we may have tears in our eyes because our own story of Jesus is that provoking to retell, well, now… Hold on there, Jesus. Hold up.
Change this in us, oh loving God. Help us hold on to what is most important in our lives, and this is You. Help us hold up Your name and Your work in us so that Your story does what other stories of You have done, and that is draw others to Christ.
Our stories are beautiful, even if we are not. Remind us of this through the Holy Spirit and those famous “God nudges” of Yours.
And the people with stories to tell say….
Amen.