Two Billion. Remember that number.
Mr. Voss: “Anyone know what happens to a stagnate cell?”
Malia: “It’s not good.”
Mr. Voss: “It ain’t good. A cell that is not in motion is not a productive member of the system. It ends up assuming all the other cells are going to pick up the slack somewhere, but they don’t. In fact, they imitate the stray cell until basically the whole organism begins to die.” (From Here Comes the Boom)
This biological fact can be applied to families, businesses, nations…even the church. How many of us Christian “cells” are strays, not in motion, not productive to the body of Christ? How many are not out there living, doing and being all that we were called and created for? How many are working against each other rather than with each other?
If the sad condition of our society is any indication of our apathy, I would say too many, maybe even most. Instead of picking up the slack and leading, we are imitating that stray cell and becoming like the slacker. Did you hear that gasp? It is the body and it is in need of a jump start to the heart.
Do you remember the number at the beginning? Two billion? That’s how many professing Christians there are worldwide. That is about 1/3 of the entire world population. Out of a population of roughly, 311,000,000, the total of individuals who call themselves Christians in the United States is approximately 227,000,000.
Think of the positive change, the impact; the difference we could make if that two billion quit being, or quit following that stray cell and lived like the biblical definition of a Christian, if we actually set a standard that was worthy of following. Where the only telltale signs of our faith isn’t the religious tee shirt we wear or attending church every Sunday, but instead our very essence.
Mr. Voss: “Here’s the good news. All that decays can be restored. Even if the entire system is close to dead, if all cells work together, what will happen?”
Student: “The entire system is healed.”
If we want to see change, we need to be changed. All it takes is one cell to take the lead, to get the others stirred up and moving in the right direction, to set the restoration process in motion.
Matthew 5:13
1 Corinthians 12:12-14
#1 by Deanna on February 17, 2013 - 12:57 pm
Wow. There are so many things I could say about this right now. Too many things to write in this little comment area. Too many things stirring in my heart and wondering ‘what can I do?’ when I see injustice and … just so many things. Great, great post, Julie. It, also, reminds me of our message at church this morning. How much are we giving/bringing to God and His work. Are we giving/bringing our all?
#2 by juliemomyer on February 17, 2013 - 2:47 pm
Thanks Deanna!
Good question…how much are we giving/bringing to God and are we giving our all? That is something we all need to ask ourselves and then act.
I just think of the amazing things God could do through us if we actually gave our all. And everyone’s “all” is going to look different. If we pulled together spiritually we would see some great things!