Every Thursday at the UNT Baptist Student Ministry we have a worship and Bible study night called Crave. Last Thursday was our outreach night, a night a couple times a semester that we spend doing something kind of radical and service-related on and around campus. For example, we've stood out in front of the rec center and passed out water bottles, stood outside the library and handed out free pizza, rode the buses around campus and just talked to people, handed out cookies at the bus stops and fry street (where all the bars are), etc. We just try and get a foot in to be able to share the love of Christ through our service and our intentionality. This last Thursday was one of those nights and our group decided to go to an apartment complex and offer to take people's trash to the dumpster for them. (since we've all experienced the apartment life and know what a hassle it is!) The reaction we get from people is always priceless- they're just so confused! They look at you like you're crazy, say "really?" a couple times.... hand us a bag and say "are you sure?" and then ask "why are ya'll doing this?" My friend and small group leader Tyler had a really good answer to this "We're a part of a Christian organization on campus and we just want to show another side of Christianity....it's not shoving an idea down someone's throat.......it's love and service." It opened some doors to conversations, but nothing radical- just planting seeds. But what if we loved and served like that everyday..... how can we make people be so utterly confused at our actions that they have to ask "why"? If they're not asking why...then that means we're blending in, we're just like the rest of the world.......when we're not. We're servants that the Lord has changed from the inside out by sending His own son Jesus Christ to take the punishment for what we deserve- we're free. Free from the burden of sin, free from God's wrath, free from worry, free from shame, free from satan's lies, free from darkness........
So let's act like free people that have something worth sharing- and make people ask why.
Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord.... Ephesians 6:7
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