Week 10 - Edmond Church of Christ

Sometimes we spend a good amount of time deciding which church to attend each Sunday and sometimes it’s decided for us when our kids are involved. This week Danae and the college students she’s going to Africa with were down for the weekend. Edmond Church of Christ is the home church for one of those kids, so we went with them this morning. It’s just a blessing to be around these young people and watch their faith in action. Edmond is a fairly large, very traditional Church of Christ. We were blessed with traditional hymns and communion that we don’t always have the opportunity to participate in. What stood out to me more than the sermon topic, was the “pre-sermon” discussion leading up to communion. The leader of that segment asked the question “can there be love without sacrifice.” The obvious scripture that was pointed out was “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son…” Great love equals great sacrifice. He discussed the sacrifices we make for our kids, our family, etc. What I believe God was saying to me specifically is “do you lead a sacrificial life.” Are my interactions with my kids selfish or self-serving? Do my dealings with co-workers emphasize serving or being served? If Christ himself said that he came not to serve but to be served, then I can certainly do no less. I must confess, I’m not always in a servant frame of mind. But, if the way people know I am a follower of God is by the way I love others, then it has to start at putting myself out of the center and putting others first. I don’t always have to have my way. I don’t always have to be right (even if I am!). I need frequent reminders that I am not the center of the universe. In a society that emphasizes the philosophy of “taking care of #1” God calls us to put other’s feelings and needs ahead of our own. These college students that came down this weekend are a perfect example of serving others ahead of themselves. They are giving up their summer to serve others in Africa in a town where there is poverty, disease, sketchy electricity, and most importantly very little cell phone and internet access. If that’s not sacrificial for a teenager I don’t know what is! Sometimes teenagers teach you more than you teach them.