Jesus chose friends who had problems like ours. When Jesus chose disciples, he went after world-changers who were messed up. He told a man who was lame to pick up his mat and follow him. Jesus went straight for people’s places of comfort and greatest vulnerability in order to transform their lives and give them a radical story to tell. Jesus was a mat collector. He knows that if we rely on, and stay within, our comfort zones that we will always be stuck and focused on what’s wrong with us.
If Jesus ever had a comfort zone, He willingly destroyed it by sacrificing His life, being abused and rejected in society’s worst fashion: crucifixion. He took upon Himself everything that was wrong with us so that we can all be in right standing with God. With His own life, Jesus demolished all the barriers that separate us from the love and acceptance of God that we all need. And now He invites each one of us to pick up our mats and comfort zones and follow Him.
Jesus didn’t just tell people who couldn’t walk to pick up their mat and walk with Him, He also picked up misfits and Matts. Matthew had a terrible reputation in his community for financially ripping people off. He squandered people’s wealth for his own personal gain. But when Jesus called Matt out of his comfort zone, Matt immediately took what was wrong with him, his addiction to money, and began to repay the people he had stolen from. Jesus wants to take our addictions, where we’re most vulnerable and comfortable, and He wants us to pick them up and use them to tell His story of how God transforms lives.
I’m in the middle of God re-writing and sharing my story through TILT and through blogging. I’m engaged in a dynamic challenge of letting go of my comfort zones. And I’m joining Jesus as we pick up Matts who are being transformed into His likeness.
Matt used to work too much. He used to think there were too many things wrong with him for God to love and use Him. But Jesus broke in and transformed Matt’s story from rejection to acceptance. Now Matt picks up his cane, his charcoal pencil, his love for history, and he tells the story of God’s redemption to others who think they’re too old, too broken, too insignificant, and he’s impacting lives everywhere!
The Matt’s I pick up along the way are the friends who are changing my life. One pastors the entire community of Ashland, Ohio serving as our mayor. Matt celebrates people and teaches me servant leadership. One is radically changing lives being a foster parent. Matt helps me laugh and not take life or myself too seriously. One of my most spirited, soccer-loving friends moved to Pittsburgh, PA where he’s serving God and people. Matt notices and enjoys people. One is with me this weekend cleaning up his grandfather’s farm house. Matt loves and cares deeply from his heart. He’s not afraid to be different. He’s kind and sensitive. Someday he’s going to be making films and creating stories for God’s glory!
If you think there’s too much wrong with you for God to use you…think again. God is in the business of re-writing and transforming our stories for His glory. He’ll heal what’s wrong with you and use it to help make things right in other people’s lives.
What’s your mat God is calling you to pick up so you can follow Him?
How do you coddle your comfort zone and prevent God from using you to impact people?
Will you ask God how He wants to use your pain and problems for His glory?