Why Say anything about Jesus

 There are those who say that telling other people about your faith is being belligerent, disrespectful, and perhaps judgmental or even harmful.  Such indications place a premium on feelings above reality.  
For statistically- those who have faith are happier, live longer (2-3 years on average-) , have stronger families, and tend to stay away from crime and drugs.  Emotionally, those who have faith tend to be less depressed and live more purposeful lives.  Robert Putnam of Harvard (Based on the Faith Matters Survey) noted that "religious Americans are more active in civic affairs, more trusting of others, more apt to give time & money to charities- including secular ones."  A recent study by Brian and Melissa Grim of Georgetown University found that the "value of services provided by religious organizations and the impact religion has on the number of important American businesses totals roughly $1.2 trillion or the equivalent of the GDP of Australia.  

We all know religious attendance is declining especially among "mainline/old line" churches.  Part of it is that many feel like their faith is unimportant.  Some in the pulpit act like it is unimportant- but it is a matter of life and death- not only for the next life- but also for the abundant life now.  

The best way to reach people in the Christian faith is to start new churches or organizations.  The old has a lot of strings attached- social clicks, and raised expectations.  

Why say anything about Jesus?  If you get any hope from your faith in Jesus- any strength, any good, any love, any motivation, any altruism, any good- then that is a reason to share what you have with others.  The old saying is always true- it is one beggar telling another beggar where to get the bread.  

But alas- that sounds a bit selfish and self-centered again.  This is the human problem and specifically these days the American civic problem.  Religion seems only important in as far as it can help us do better or be more comfortable.  The problem with this is that as soon as we get uncomfortable- someone says something that irritates us in church; or cancer comes; or we lose our job- we think that our faith- which is supposed to be the magic pill- has let us down.  Again- such thinking is all about feelings and self-centeredness.  

What about if it is not about me?  

What if there is more to life- and I- and my feelings are only a small- albeit important- part?

What if there is a God who made us- loves us- and wants us to respond?  If there is such a One- whether we are comfortable at the time or not- whether we think we have figured everything out or not- then maybe He is worth our time- even our focus- even our lives.  Others have thought so.  If God is personal, loving, caring- (as Jesus shows)- then He is also worthy of our telling others.  

In a day when we are coming out of hurt after hurt- AIDS, 911, Afghanistan War, Ukraine War, economic uncertainty, political strife, COVID, Monkeypox...now more than ever- we need God. 

So- I invite you- worship Him- somewhere.  If you find it boring- perhaps you are focusing again on what you can get out of it instead of who we are there to worship.