Fit in with the part of the body you belong to.

There are so many different people in the body of Christ. Personalities and differences abound. Sometimes the differences are so great that we wonder to ourselves if that other person could possibly be saved!

But that’s because we’re comparing body parts to parts that don’t belong together. You can’t put an eye lash next to a kneecap and expect them to connect well. But the eye lash and the eye lid and the eyeball will all communicate the same language and understand each other perfectly.

When we find the subset of the larger body that we belong to, we’ll feel at home. There won’t be any performance issues, no awkward lingering because we don’t fit in. We’ll connect the way we are supposed to connect. We need to be with others who understand how we operate.

It’s ok that there are different flavors of Christ. As long as everyone agrees with the Lordship if Jesus and His salvation, the variances are not that big a deal. But it is a big deal if you don’t fit in.

If you feel outside of the body that you’ve attended, go look around. There’s no sin in finding a better fit. Your allegiance isn’t to a pastor, it’s to Jesus, and He wants you to be happy.

You have within you exactly what the world needs.

You know the thing about salt? It makes everything taste better. Food that needs salt always tastes bland. Guess what you are! (Mat 5:13) You are called to be the wow factor in the world around you.

But watch out for the warning. If salt loses its flavor, it’s worthless and trampled under foot. Don’t be ashamed of the gospel of truth. Don’t try to fit in so much that you don’t stand out at all. You need to be the flavor that everyone is craving.

The only reason for not being salty is fear. If you are afraid of being labeled “one of them”, then you deny the work of Christ on the cross. You hold the fear of man above the sacrifice of the God’s divine love.

You can’t carry the truth in you and look like everyone around you. If no one can see a difference in your life, then you haven’t discovered the freedom and blessing that is yours. Let go of fear and throw yourself into the love of God. Your goal shouldn’t be to blend in. Your goal should be to show the goodness of God in a world desperate for help.

Stop worrying about people and find the flavor of heaven for yourself. Once you really get it, you’ll be tasty!

The gate is narrow, but the kingdom is wide.

We get into so much trouble when we over define salvation. When Jesus said, But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Mat 7:14), He didn’t mean that our life in the kingdom is defined by narrow limits.

He was referring to the fact there is only one way to salvation, through the blood of Christ. Don’t be fooled by nice sounding philosophies that have no power to save, heal, and deliver.

But once we get through the gate, we are not boxed in by rules and regulations. This is not Old Testament. Yes, we live with humility and a desire to honor God, but that just comes from our heart of love toward Him. We obey His command to follow Him.

And in that following is a freedom to lived blessed. The gate opens to a realm of destiny that extends far and wide. God has put inside each of us a desire to be something great in His kingdom and He’s given us the ability to go after it.

Don’t sit at the gate thinking that there is nothing more to have until you get to heaven. You haven’t begun to explore the kingdom yet. Ask God to show you what is yours and go for it.

God helps us balance humility and boldness.

It’s a huge mistake to try to simplify God. He is complex and our relationship with Him is complex. We are called to live in different ways at the same time. We are His servant and friend. We stand in awe and dance with joy. We humble ourselves and walk boldly into the throne room.

When we narrow the definition of salvation to one aspect, we fail in other areas of our relationship with Him. We can’t just say that life in the kingdom is focused on humility. Must you be humble? Yes! Humility is foundational to salvation. God says, I dwell in the high and holy place with him who has a contrite and humble spirit. (Isa 57:15) That’s enough right there to make you want to live humbly.

But God does not want us afflicting ourselves with guilt either. He wants us to live the in the freedom of salvation. He forgives and forgets. He wants to bless, so he calls us to come boldly unto the throne of grace. (Heb 4:16) That’s His idea.

So how do we do that? How do we live in the balance between humility and boldness? We confess our sins when we know we need to. We live thankfully for all that God is to us. We receive His blessing with joy and the knowledge that we are privileged children. We allow Him to help us walk with Him. There’s where the balance comes from.