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It's been a great service. Matthew 28:18-20 has been read. The preacher has reminded the congregation of the awesome gift of grace that Christ has lavished on his people. Forgiven people have praised God for the fact they have been cleansed, washed whiter than snow. It's a truth more powerful than any fairy story. It's a wonderful narrative that has the ultimate happy ending for those who are in Christ. And then it comes. The call to action. The call to get out there and tell others of God's wonderful mercy.
Instantly, the congregation divides into 7 camps. There's...
Bashful - those who find it hard to talk to others. Painfully shy, they recoil at the thought of evangelism.
Dopey - the new - or not so new Christians - who are acutely aware they've never even tried to open their mouths to tell others about Jesus and generally assume someone else will invite their friends to church so they don't have to.
Grumpy - the spiritual strugglers who quite frankly don't want to get involved in mission. It means making sacrifices, sacrifices that they don't want to make.
Sneezy - those who love the idea of mission but have convinced themselves that their ill health is a stumbling block to playing any part in telling others about Jesus.
Sleepy - the super-busy who assent to the importance of personal evangelism but whose diaries are so crammed full of other stuff - church meetings, community involvement, work, family responsibilities - it doesn't feel like there's energy left for anything else.
Doc - the passionate people ... who are painfully conscious they get their words muddled on a regular basis.
Happy - the minority who actually look forward to local and global mission.
We're all in there somewhere. You'll find a Grumpy, a Bashful, a Doc in every congregation.
Doesn't look that encouraging does it?! But our instinctive reactions don't need to be the end of the story...
One of the wonderful things about the 7 dwarves in the Disney classic is that they didn't let their very real flaws and limitations get in the way of walking to work every day. Grumpy certainly had profound heart issues to work on but he still picked up his axe each morning, so did all the others. In the hands of the living God our flaws - and let's be honest, they are flaws - don't need to stop us participating in the true privilege it is to be part of gospel work.
Whether we're feeling like a Sneezy, a Dopey or a Sleepy today, the reality is that God has gifted every single one of us to be labourers in his great harvest field. We may not be confident but we are fully equipped. We don't have to summon up the strength to use those gifts all by ourselves - we can't overcome our natural reluctance through self-control alone - but by the power of his Spirit we can play our role in the great commission. We can pick up our cross and do what doesn't come naturally to us. The unwell can send an encouraging text. The shy can pray a prayer. The people who have never taken a step into the seemingly scary world of evangelism can begin to plan who they are going to invite to the Christmas carol service.
And, even better, the Spirit can work in our hearts to transform us day by day to be less sleepy, less muddled and increasingly happy about our role in spreading God's Kingdom. As we are changed to be more like Jesus, we will grow in our love of mission. And we can progress that process of change by engaging with God's word and prayer. Let your imagination roam free for a moment: Wouldn't it be wonderful if we were all actively praying that God would make us less grumpy, less bashful about being involved in the very work we were saved to do ... ? That's not an impossible dream. You know where you're at - why not pray a prayer like that for yourself right now?
Working as part of a missional family for the glory of God is not an easy thing for broken sinners to do. There is always a cost. But it is part of what it means to be God's children. And it is what the Spirit enables us to do. So let's encourage each other to go for it today.
And if you want to whistle while you do it, feel free ...
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:2-6
