Are You The Only Jesus Some People Ever See?

Did you know that you may be the only Jesus some people ever get to see & meet?

Think about the numerous lives that your life intercepts on a daily basis.  The guy at the gas station; the lady at the bus stop; the neighbors you stop to chat with, the person in the checkout line at various stores, etc.  At all of these encounters you have an opportunity to introduce “Jesus” to all of them.  I’m not talking about being a track & bible thumper (nothing wrong with that) but I’m referring to how you respond & treat people & the things you say to them in the moment.  This is your chance to bring a real life Jesus to their lives in a practical way.

A few days ago, I was sitting in a courtroom providing cover & support for a family member.  The situation was stressful so I had my mind on my mission.  There were four rows of chairs & pew benches & I was the only one seated there.  From the door on the opposite side of the courtroom an older gruff looking man came into the room.  I didn’t pay him too much attention because of all the seating space available to him.  Image my dismay when he chose to sit right next to me like we were together.  My flesh didn’t like it at all & my nose didn’t like it either because this man stunk.  He smelled like he hadn’t take a bath in a very long time and he also smelled like every kind of smoke if you know what I mean.  I can hear you laughing at me because you know how you would react in the same situation.

However, my spirit had a totally different reaction to the man.  So even though my flesh was boiling over, I knew in my soul that I had to make myself available to God so He could use me in any way He needed to.  No one comes to a courtroom because they don’t have anything else to do. No one comes to court unless they have to be there.  And since no one wants to be there it wouldn’t hurt to help this guy out.  So I asked God what He wanted me to do. He told me to say the same prayer & sing the same praise song for this guy that I had prayed & sung for my family member.  So, as we sat together in silence with my nose hairs burning from the man’s stench, I began to pray for this man & sing a song of praise under my breath.

Now this man never said a word to me & I never said of word to him either.  I didn’t know why he was in court that day.  At one point he even turned his back to me but I just kept praying & praising.  I covered his victory just like I did for my family member.  He eventually got up smiling and left without any words being exchanged between us.  And even though my nose was glad to see him go, my spirit was glad that I was able to act as an intercessor for him.

All of us have had those short interactions with people as you go through our day but are you consciously aware of what these divine appointments are for?

As followers of Jesus Christ we have a responsibility of showing the world what Jesus might look like in real life situations & circumstances. Keep in mind that there are so many people in the world today that will never go to a church or read the bible or hear a sermon preached on television, so how do you think God will introduce Himself to those people?  How will those people get to know who Jesus is and how Jesus really acts?  The answer is they will get to see Jesus through you!

Let’s look at what Jesus says in John 17:18, As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.  Here you can see Jesus is talking to God about his disciples; what he has done with the people God gave him and His prayer for them.  In that conversation/prayer, it confirms that just like God sent Jesus to earth to tell us about God, Jesus sent us to tell others about Him.

Now you know that here at Workdatword, we are honest & transparent, so I have to say that I have not always risen to this challenge but I have gotten better via practice.  I had to learn to be fluid & flexible so when God needs me, I respond & move easily knowing that this is seed sown for me to harvest in the future.

What about you?  There is no such thing as coincidences in this life.  Everything matters & happens for a reason.  So remember that when you find yourself in a seemingly brief encounter with someone, no matter how awkward & uncomfortable, no matter where it is, know that it is a set-up not only for the other person, but also for you.  Just in case you’re asking what kind of set-up, let me tell you.  It’s answered prayer for both of you. You’re going to give that person what they need and your obedience is seed for you to harvest later. Everybody wins!

Check out what Galatians 6:9-10 (amp) says; 9 And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.  10 So then, as occasion and opportunity open up to us, let us do good [[a]morally] to all people [not only [b]being useful or profitable to them, but also doing what is for their spiritual good and advantage]. Be mindful to be a blessing, especially to those of the household of faith [those who belong to God’s family with you, the believers].

The short version of this scripture is simply this – what you make happen for someone else; God will make happen for you.  You will reap what you sow. If you needed help wouldn’t you want someone to stop & help you?  Of course you would.  These encounters are God’s way of helping you help yourself.

So let’s wrap this up.  Know that you are so valuable to God that He sent you just like He sent Jesus to show the world not only who Jesus is but how Jesus is though you!  So you may be the only Jesus some people ever get to see.