Why so serious?

I remember when I went to see Batman… you know, the good one where Heath Ledger played The Joker. I didn’t go the first day; I waited a few days for the lines to die down and chose to go to a very early show. I even chose a smaller theater to go to so I could virtually watch the movie in peace.

When I arrived, there were two people there in line already. They had seen the movie at least 3 or 4 times. You could tell that they were excited about it. They were telling anyone who came in line that this was their favorite incarnation of Batman, and that the supporting cast of characters was the best ever. To them, this movie was worth investing in and telling everyone about it.

I was thinking… really? It’s just a movie.

This came to mind today because I was thinking about a few things. First – when was the last time that I talked with a stranger about the great things that our God has done? Second – when was the last time that you saw someone talking passionately about what God has done for them? Lastly, when was the last time you saw a group of Christians in some public place having an excited discussion about something they read in God’s Holy Word?

The truth is, sometimes we as Christians treat God’s word like it’s some kind of mystery. But believe me, there’s a lot of it that can be known. We can learn about the God’s character, what he expects from us, the tools that he has given us to be successful and most importantly – the words to share with others. There’s no need for us to keep this to ourselves because, “This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time, but now it's out in the open. God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, so therefore you can look forward to sharing in God's glory. It's that simple. That is the substance of our Message. We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less. That's what I'm working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me. “  (Col 1:26-29 – The Message)

What do we have to do to get excited about what God has done for us? What will it take for us to share it? Are movies and sports more important to us than God’s saving grace? I hope not! This year, let’s get excited about sharing God’s grace with others!