In

In the years leading up to our nation’s involvement in World War I the United States had practiced what was called an “Isolationist Policy” with regard to the problems facing other countries. This policy basically meant that we know you are having problems, but we have chosen to take care of ourselves, and not involve ourselves in your problems. This seemed to work until the leaders realized that the problems other countries were facing actually affected the US even if we were not involved in the war. Many Christians seemed to have developed an isolationist policy when it comes to dealing with the world, and I have a problem with that. Christ teaches us in John 17:16 that we, as his followers, are not “of this world.” This means that we are different from those who have not accepted God’s free gift of salvation. But is does not mean that we are not a part of this world, and this is where I feel like a lot of Christians go astray in how we as followers of Christ should approach the world.

Simply put, as believers we are “in the world” for a purpose, and that purpose is to be a conduit through which Christ can reach a lost world. This means that we have to be in the world if we are going to have any influence in it at all. Too many Christians chose to isolate themselves and their families from the world. As they do this, they support their decision with what sound like some very good reasons until you compare those reasons with how Christ lived his life. They say they are doing it for the benefit of their children. They say they are doing it because society has become so corrupt. The list of reasons goes on and on, but when compared to how scripture teaches us we are supposed to live they do not have a leg to stand on. In a former church where I served there were even families that took this idea so far that they did not want their children, whom they isolated in private Christian schools, to even be associated with other youth in the group because the other youth went to public school. Now here is the kicker, many of these youth who attended public school were much stronger in their faith and much more mature in their walk with Christ than the kids who were spoon fed Bible stories each day, but never placed in a situation where they really had to live their faith.

Is the world a bad place? Yes, in many ways. Can it be dangerous for believers out their? Yes, but remember, “Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world.” If we are in the world will we see and hear things that go against what we believe and practice as followers of Christ? Yes, but do you think Jesus wasn’t exposed to these things? The point is that we as believers have a responsibility to be in the world. Look all through the New Testament and we see how we are to get out there and make a difference. Jesus hung out with the types of people that many believers wouldn’t be caught dead with. Jesus wasn’t worried about his reputation. He was focused on doing the will of the Father, no matter where that meant going, or what it meant being exposed to. One of the passages that really drives this home to me is the section in The Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5 where he teaches about being salt and light. Think about it for a minute. Salt is of no use if it is left in the salt shaker. It is only when it comes in contact with something that it is able to have an effect. The same is true with light. It can only be effective when it is exposed to darkness and allowed to drive that darkness away.

We as Christian need to understand that it is time to get out there and let God work through us in the world. It won’t always be safe and it won’t always be pretty, but it will be the only way many people are going to ever come to know about the God who was not of this world, but was willing to become one of us by coming here and being in the world. It actually sound a lot more exciting that sitting in our little holy huddle where we never take any risk. As far as I am concerned when it comes to the world you can count me “in.”