Dear Daily Message Readers,
READ: Romans 10
Romans 10:14 (NIV) How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!
Recently in my hometown newspaper, there was an article entitled Coptic fish, Muslim sharks wage street war in Cairo. Apparently, quite a furor has arisen in the Egyptian capital over an ancient Christian symbol. Coptic Christians trace their tradition back to Mark the Evangelist's arrival in Egypt. The fish bumper sticker we see today was actually used in these early days of the Christian church, when believers would use it to identify one another. Now the Coptic Christians are reclaiming the fish as a symbol of their faith in the form of these imported bumper stickers. However, in response, the Muslim community of Cairo has adopted a shark bumper sticker for their vehicles which reads, No god but Allah inside the shark's body. The businessman who imports the Jesus fish refused the press saying that discussing religion could be asking for trouble (Des Moines Register).
These Christians are living in an area where they have real reasons to fear making their identity in Christ known. Who would have ever thought that having a Jesus fish on your car would ever endanger you in some way? One 25 year-old woman remarked, All I wanted to say is that I am a Christian. Do you communicate your identity in Christ through your relationships and your life?
When I was younger, my parents ministered as missionaries in the country of Thailand. Thailand is a nation in Southeast Asia that is around 99.5% Buddhist. In my parent's encounters with Buddhists, they would often face the comment that the Buddhists knew exactly why they were there and ministering. The Buddhists were confident that my family was in Thailand in order to do good work to improve the condition of their next life. If my parents had never spoken up about the real meaning of their work and lives, those they ministered to would have simply regarded them as just another couple of do-gooders trying to work their way to some sort of salvation. How could the Gospel be shared? The Coptic Christians in Egypt could just be content to another group of good people. But they feel a need to let the world know why they live.
A righteous life is so incredibly important to a Christian witness. If you follow in the footsteps of Christ, then men will see the difference in you and wonder what you have. The catch is, though, that you must tell them! Do people in your life know what gives you meaning? Have you told them about the Christ upon which your life is built? In order to call upon the name of Christ, they must be told about Him. Faith Lesson: Let others know about the Christ for whom you live.
In Christ,
Darin Smith
READ: Romans 10
Romans 10:14 (NIV) How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!
Recently in my hometown newspaper, there was an article entitled Coptic fish, Muslim sharks wage street war in Cairo. Apparently, quite a furor has arisen in the Egyptian capital over an ancient Christian symbol. Coptic Christians trace their tradition back to Mark the Evangelist's arrival in Egypt. The fish bumper sticker we see today was actually used in these early days of the Christian church, when believers would use it to identify one another. Now the Coptic Christians are reclaiming the fish as a symbol of their faith in the form of these imported bumper stickers. However, in response, the Muslim community of Cairo has adopted a shark bumper sticker for their vehicles which reads, No god but Allah inside the shark's body. The businessman who imports the Jesus fish refused the press saying that discussing religion could be asking for trouble (Des Moines Register).
These Christians are living in an area where they have real reasons to fear making their identity in Christ known. Who would have ever thought that having a Jesus fish on your car would ever endanger you in some way? One 25 year-old woman remarked, All I wanted to say is that I am a Christian. Do you communicate your identity in Christ through your relationships and your life?
When I was younger, my parents ministered as missionaries in the country of Thailand. Thailand is a nation in Southeast Asia that is around 99.5% Buddhist. In my parent's encounters with Buddhists, they would often face the comment that the Buddhists knew exactly why they were there and ministering. The Buddhists were confident that my family was in Thailand in order to do good work to improve the condition of their next life. If my parents had never spoken up about the real meaning of their work and lives, those they ministered to would have simply regarded them as just another couple of do-gooders trying to work their way to some sort of salvation. How could the Gospel be shared? The Coptic Christians in Egypt could just be content to another group of good people. But they feel a need to let the world know why they live.
A righteous life is so incredibly important to a Christian witness. If you follow in the footsteps of Christ, then men will see the difference in you and wonder what you have. The catch is, though, that you must tell them! Do people in your life know what gives you meaning? Have you told them about the Christ upon which your life is built? In order to call upon the name of Christ, they must be told about Him. Faith Lesson: Let others know about the Christ for whom you live.
In Christ,
Darin Smith
