Convenient or Convicted?

            Everybody likes a convenience store.

            Whether you’re looking for a gallon of milk or a sandwich on the go, you run in, run out and you are all set. I think Christianity has become for some a convenience store of sorts.

            If we treat Church and our prayer life like a quick stop only when we need something, that’s convenient, not convicted. If our friends or co-workers don’t know we’re a Church-going Christian, that’s more convenient than convicted.

If our faith doesn’t challenge us, confront us to change some of our sinful habits and attitude toward other people, that’s more convenient than convicted.

            A convenient Christian thinks what’s in it for me. A convicted Christian thinks what can I do for God, for the Kingdom.

            America is the land of convenience. We want everything in a convenient way. Just take a look at technology. But when it comes to Christianity, we should not take the convenient approach. God wants us to reach a broken world, to share the truth of Jesus Christ. How can we do that if we’re Christians only when it’s convenient.

            It’s not convenient to love our neighbor, to be kind to those who are mean to us, to show respect for those who disagree with us or even troll us, to be caring toward those who dislike us. It’s not convenient. But if we are convicted Christians, we practice living a Christ-like attitude every day.

            Paul says in Acts:  “I want to finish the race I’m running. I want to carry out the mission I received from the Lord Jesus—the mission of testifying to the Good News of God’s kindness.”

            If we are convicted Christians instead of convenient Christians, we will strive to finish the race just like Paul no matter how difficult it is along the way and we will place a higher value on the life of Christ than our own. - Rob Maaddi