Faith Matters
by Clint Walker, Fowler First Baptist Church
Letting Our Hands and Feet Do the Talking
I am so excited about the Backyard Mission Project being launched through First Baptist Church of Fowler this weekend. I am happy because it allows us to be visible in our community here in Fowler. I am excited because I see a lot of people at our church working toward a noble goal. Most of all, though, I am thankful that we are doing the Backyard Mission Project because I believe it is faithful to the kind of work and witness that Jesus commanded us to have. This is because God’s Word calls us to be servants. And there is nothing like getting your hands and feet a little dirty serving others to let other folks know you care.
Choosing to serve others is central to choosing to follow Christ. When the apostle Paul wanted to teach a church about what it means to have a heart like Jesus he said that Jesus “humbled himself” and “took on a servant’s nature” (Philippians 2). When Jesus wanted to teach his disciples what it meant to be a leader in his kingdom, he did not recommend asserting authority and power. Rather he told those who wanted to be leaders that the person who wants to “become great…must be your servant” (Matthew 20). When Jesus described what it meant to love our neighbor as ourselves, he described a Samaritan who was willing to serve his neighbor in practical ways, and at significant financial cost (Luke 10). And when we help those around us that could use a hand for one reason or another, the parable of the sheep and goats teaches it is like we are helping Jesus at the same time (Matthew 25). Therefore, when we serve our neighbors, we are following Christ, and we are also inviting God’s presence to move into our lives in a more powerful way as we serve.
We also choose to do this Backyard Mission Project because we want what we believe to be seen and not just heard. As Christians, we believe that God loves each and every person. As others watch us work, we hope that people see that God’s love is more than just an idea. We hope people see that God’s love is visible when we get paint on their hands, and cement on our feet. And when folks seek to understand why we choose to love our neighbors as ourselves, they will see that Christianity is more than just talk. And when people see our faith in action, I hope and pray they won’t just see us, they will see that trusting Jesus truly makes small, practical differences in our community and world.
