Living as Christ would live if He were here now, in your body, with your name - that's a challenge that has faced Christians since century one. It's the theme of the latest issue of New Wineskins, and it calls to mind some blogs I've read from folks who have been up to the challenge.
Larry James is one of those people who is day-in and day-out living that life. He ministers in an urban environment, in central Dallas. His methods and approaches are often as unorthodox as those of his Savior.
Neal Whitlow had a moment in which he chose to live down the good-natured jabs at his fellowship's expense, to become completely transparent and let some fellow ministers see Jesus Christ in him. It became a moment of grace I will never forget.
Joel Quile experienced another kind of moment, a moment which forced a decision in the quick of a crisis that became an opportunity to minister - in his words - without a thought. Maybe, Joel, it was just that you were open to the thoughts of the Spirit.
Patrick Mead recounts a Christ-like moment with his son (who exhibits some admirable honesty as well) in a story that involves the wind, a car door, a dent in a truck, and the price of a soul at peace.
Since I'm on the subject of fathers and sons, Bob McClanahan is an old friend, and while this site is technically not a blog, it details the efforts of family and friends of his son Riley to reach out with a message of hope in Christ to families of other special-needs children. Did I mention he also manages a prayer warrior list-serve that distributes prayer requests from all over the world to folks at the church we attend?
Fred Peatross just asks people that he meets what they think about Christians and about Jesus. With a mike, camcorder and some Starbucks coupons he conducts these on-the-spot interviews once a month, inspired by the Web page ordinary attempts. The people he speaks to aren't referred to as "lost"; they are "people whom Jesus misses most."
I'll bet you know a few people like these. Ordinary people who live extraordinary lives because it's not them doing the living; it's Christ living in them.
Why don't you take a moment and enrich the rest of us by sharing a story or two about them in the comments below?
You never know. One of them might be just the thing that triggers another Christ-led life.
