I have started reading through the books 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus this week.  I periodically take a close look at these books to remind myself of my call as a pastor.  I have said many times that Christians are not better than anyone else, but that we are better off.  This is true; we have eternity in Heaven to look forward to (better off), but we are still sinners (not better).  Like most pithy sayings it is incomplete.  It leaves out the idea that we are supposed to be better than everyone else.

Not in the sense of being superior to everyone, not in the sense of being more loved by God than anyone, and not in the sense of doing anything with our own strength or force of will.  We are supposed to be better than everyone else because the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives making us better.  Better spouses, better parents, better siblings, better children, better students, better bosses, better employees, better citizens – just better.  In fact, not even just better – we should be the best. 

No one should be out-performing a Christian (you and me) when it comes to loving others.  We should always be leading the way.  Who started the first hospitals?  How about universities?  Who led the way to abolish slavery?  Christians did those things.  These are great; so what have you done lately?  It is not time to rest on our laurels and bask in the greatness of our accomplishments.  It is not time for Christians to let the “rest” of the world catch up.  It’s time to go further.

Am I asking a lot?  Is this too much for us?  How do we top those accomplishments?  Perhaps we are asking the wrong questions.  Unless, “we” cure cancer, end poverty, etc. we think we cannot possibly top what has already been done – wrong again!  What if we changed one life?  Just one single life?  How many people did it take to invite you to church?  Did your life change as a result of you answering that invitation?  Mine sure did!  Oh, I know, I’ve heard people say they are a bit embarrassed to invite someone to our church – we are so small, we don’t have the world’s best worship team (complete with horn section), there are so many empty seats, the pastor talks too darn long…..  Pick your excuse.