I see Jesus

DAILY BYTE

When I was about 17 years old, I went to a Christian summer camp called Greene Hills, run by a Methodist minister named Stephen. He was someone who knew my family well because of my minister mom and my older brother, who was also quite involved in the church. And he was a passionate, prayerful, slightly zany guy, who had a gift for working with young people, and he led us on a week’s journey of campfire moments, challenging us to hear the powerful truth of the gospel that Christ died and lives for and with all of us.

It was a challenging week of navigating a whole new social scene, too… One of raging hormones and all of the uphill battles young people and all people face of trying to be liked and known and heard.

And it was a wonderful place to be, if not a bit intimidating at times... kind of like church...

But one day toward the end of the week, I got a message from Stephen that he wanted to see me. And I thought – oh great – he heard about the girl’s sleeping bag we sewed up with leaves stuffed inside...

But no, he hadn’t gotten wind of such escapades. He simply sat me down at a picnic table, acting very serious, and said, “I feel that it’s very important for you to know that apart from your family – your mom, your brother – anyone else, I see Jesus in you. And I needed for you to know that.”

Wow.

Talk about jaw-dropping. What do you say after that? Thank you?

I think I said something articulate like – oh, wow, ok. Thanks. Um, should I go to the pool now?

Based on my reaction at the time, I don’t think Stephen knows what a pivotal moment that was in my life. It was completely life-altering and life-defining to realize that Jesus lived in me, and I had a special life, a special unique calling and purpose and way of relating to other people that was just mine – but was empowered and beautiful because of the room there was for Jesus inside.

As a 17-year-old, my concerns were usually friends, what people thought of me, making sure my family was ok, getting good grades - I could never have articulated then that hearing those words actually filled my deepest need.

Above everything else. To be like Jesus.

And at that same camp a few days later was when I first very timidly put up my hand to say that I was thinking about spending my life in full time ministry.

I think maybe I realized that if someone could see Jesus in me, maybe a lot more people could see Jesus if I spent my life trying to show what he looked like. Maybe I could be a part of communities that give people gifts like telling each other that their lives are beautiful and that they matter to the world. Maybe I could help fill peoples’ deepest needs – maybe that’s what I could help the church to be.

Maybe that’s what the church – the body of Christ – could be with you as a part of it... Do you see Jesus in others? Do you seen Jesus in yourself?

FOCUS READING

Colossians 2:6-7 (NRSV)

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.