In the first blog from this series on our A.I.M. (being Authentic, Intention and Missional), we looked at what it meant to be authentic and why it was important. As you would expect, it is time to glance at what it means to be intentional. One thing we all need to realize is that the difference between a secular worldview and a Christian worldview is a secular worldview never includes Christ. That raises the question for Christians, “What part of my life should reflect a secular worldview?” Umm… how about none?
Let’s look at just a couple of places where the Bible talks about being intentional. Col. 3:17 says, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” One, I would challenge you to read and apply all of Colossians 3 to your daily life; but two, how much wiggle room does “whatever you do in word or deed” give you when it comes to the way we live? This requires intentional living. How dare we blend in with the world when we go about our daily business? Holiness is not reserved for a couple of hours on Sundays.
But what am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to accomplish this life of intentionality?
Rom. 12:1-3 says, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.” You see, we are called to be different, not conformed to the world. It is actually God’s will for us (His children) to be and look obviously different.
Why are we to be intentional? Because God is intentional. Christ did not accidently die on the cross for our sins and was not accidently resurrected on the third day to defeat death and hell. No one ever came up to me all excited and said “Hey, guess what? I accidently led someone to the Lord. They got saved because I accidently mentioned something and let it slip out during a conversation that they needed Jesus.”
Here is what it might look like. Your church buys 50 tickets to Affair of the Heart or a gun show and sends out its men or women to have a great time and wonderful fellowship with a purpose. Go – enjoy – have a great time – buy stuff, but everyone intentionally talks to someone about Jesus while they are at the event. “We serve at this church… How can we pray for you? … God blessed me by meeting you today…” It’s not hard, but it does require a paradigm shift from looking and sounding like everyone else (the world) to being a living sacrifice and intentionally introducing people to your Savior. Anybody can look like everyone else. It is the intentional person who looks like Christ.