The Gospel Exists in Flesh and Blood

Living across the globe from most of you, I am so thankful for the Internet.

It connects me people I love deeply and people I’m meeting via hashtags. I can Skype with my parents while Voxing with my friend Amber at the same time I’m paying bills.

It’s all ridiculously convenient…and sometimes pretty entertaining.

Our fingers are addicted to share buttons. Sometimes I wonder how we all got so interested in Buzzfeed quizzes.  

And where Facebook used to be a place to send messages and share photos, it’s become the most used forum to proclaim personal platforms through articles and status updates.

The whole “YES. THIS.” generation is getting pretty good at expressing itself through other peoples’ words. As a blogger, I understand. I try to put words to what other people haven’t yet said. And I believe in the power of a well-written, convincing article.

As I scrolled through my news feed today, though, I became so weary of the Christian-y opinion sharing. {Gracious and I know I am contradicting myself. Hear me out.}

I enjoy the dialogue on my personal blog. But 99% of the interaction there is based around affirmation and encouragement. Not about life-changing Good News that brings people to their knees in awe of my Savior.

So what I need to say is this: It doesn’t seem likely that the Gospel will advance by simply sharing our opinions in a status update.

No, that doesn’t usually come through a two-dimensional screen.

But the Gospel does come alive in flesh and blood.

It seeps into peoples’ souls over cups of coffee and open hearts. It breathes into peoples’ lives through tight hugs and helping hands. It brings joy through open doors and food-covered tables.

One-on-one conversation. Physical touch. Sacrificial hospitality. Community prayer.

These are the things that can lead the unbeliever to question his disbelief. These are the things that give promise of a better life to come.

When we step away from our laptops and smartphones and into the lives of real people, we can’t run away from what we see. It’s our humanity we’re faced with then. We feel real feelings and witness real tragedy and rejoice in real hope.

It’s flesh and blood that stirs our souls to action.

Words are powerful, and I’m thankful so many are at my fingertips every day. By all means, keep posting your favorite Bible studies and your coffee + scripture pictures. I’ll be doing this along with you.

But may we always remember that our jobs don’t stop there.

Our world is absolutely full of brokenness. Sickness, poverty, divorce, hunger, abuse. In every community and on every street.

We can’t see those things in our Christian communities—physical or virtual—where everyone believes like us and no one disagrees with us.

When we stay in our homes, behind our screens, using our fingers to do all of our Gospel sharing, we are taking the easy road.

Because the Gospel exists in flesh and blood.

And loving and caring for flesh and blood takes energy. It takes time and money and space. And these are all things that require more than a keyboard or a touchscreen.

Let me say this again, the internet is such an incredible tool for good and I love writing on this space.

But my legitimate fear is that we are raising a generation of kids that will believe a Christian’s role is to post Biblical articles on Facebook and share encouraging verses on their Instagram feed.

I don’t want this for my children.

I want them to see the kids begging on the streets. I want them to notice their classmates with need and I want them to witness the injustices of life. And then I want them to do something about it.

I want to invite my children along as together we bring the Gospel to people…in flesh and blood.

About Lauren

From the day she flipped through her first National Geographic magazine as a five-year-old, Lauren Pinkston knew she had to see the world. Since then, she's traveled to five continents, read a lot of anthropology, and tried to figure out her place in a global community. Lauren currently works in SE Asia as a community development consultant while juggling language learning, cultural acquisition, and her own research in expat mental health. She's a husband lover, diaper changer, envelope pusher, justice seeker, and adoption advocate. You can visit her blog, Upwardly Dependent, and follow her on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest.

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