Zebra Ministries

Good morning Zebras,

Once, years ago, when I went to a Women of Faith conference, I saw a group of German Mennonites who were dressed differently and I remembering thinking, “I’d like that,” because their clothes made a statement to the world. 

In hindsight, I can see, the statement was more about their denomination than it was about God.  But I still find the idea attractive.

The upside of wearing a religious outfit is God’s people would be on their best behavior around you.  Just like the way we all slow down when we see a cop car.  People who know the Bible tend to tread carefully in the presence of a “man of God.”  There would be less temptation to fall into sin, because God’s people wouldn’t sin in your presence.

The downside is the rest of the world would avoid you or dislike you before you even got to open your mouth.  And that defeats the purpose of being a Christian.

God didn’t save us, so we can sit around together comfortable in our godliness, silently judging and/or ignoring those who are lost.

Luke 18:9–14: He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’  But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

He saved us, so we can work alongside Him to save others. (I purposely phrased it that way because we always need to remember salvation comes from Christ alone.  It’s the work of the Holy Spirit.  We do not save, we only point people to Him.)

Under the title: Paul’s Manner of Serving Men

1 Corinthians 9:19–23: “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.  To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews.  To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law.  To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law.  To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak.  I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.  I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

We will not win the lost if we think we are better than them.  Or by refusing to associate with “sinful men.”  And that isn’t even the message of the Bible.  The message of the Bible is God loves us and in return we are to love Him with our whole heart, mind and soul, and to love others.  And I can’t find anywhere in there, that limits who the “others” are.

I love you Zebras, have a great day basking in the unconditional love of God and passing it on to others. 

Love,

Jill