archives: april 2011...

editorial...

Over the past few months we’ve been introducing you to some pretty legendary people. They are chaps who, in following Jesus, have done some amazing things that have served to impact the world around them. They are people that make us want to know Jesus better, inspiring us to commit to living out our faith wholeheartedly.

So, this is our last month of legends. And it’s a slightly different one as the legends I want to introduce you to are some of my mates! 

Legends number four: My mates
I know what you’re thinking. Cop out. My mates versus Martin Luther or Desmund Tutu or Mother Theresa. Yep, you’re right, those three are pretty legendary followers of Jesus… but then, I’ve never met them. I haven’t spent half my life around them or been through times of pain or joy with them. I haven’t ever chatted to them about the stuff I find hard or the questions I have. I’ve read about them and been inspired by them, but they’ll never be part of my day-to-day reality.

But, my mates are. They are part and parcel of my life. Whether I like it or not, they help define and mould me. And like all mates, sometimes they wind me up, sometimes they talk too much and sometimes they do stupid things.

Saying that, much more often they inspire me to be better. They encourage me, share words of kindness, teach me about humility, challenge my pride and arrogance, listen to my questions and generally try and help me to be a better person. They teach me about grace and show me more of who Jesus is. Without them I’d be lost. They don’t just walk with me… sometimes they are ahead of me, calling me on, showing me how to be a better follower of Jesus. And the best thing is, most of the time, they don’t even know they are doing it!

The book of Proverbs in the Old Testament has that famous passage:

‘As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another’.
Proverbs 27v17

 That ancient wisdom applies to my mates, and I’m grateful to them. So, here are some of my personal legends: Paul, Jon, Sarah, Adam, Si, Gabriel, Tim, Emily, Ali, Jon, Robbie, Sarah, Simon, Dave, Vanessa, Greg, Rachel, Chris, Joel… The list could go on and on.

The thing is, you don’t know my mates. And, I probably don’t know your mates. But I reckon, there are people in your life that deserve a bit of legendary recognition: you know, the people you’d call on at midnight because you were in a mess; that person who’s always willing to have a chat and is interested in your life; the person who always gathers people together and is a great host; or the person who always gives and is incredibly generous. Take some time to be thankful for them and the way they challenge and inspire your walk with Jesus. No single one of us has the complete picture of God and who he is, and that’s just one reason why our mates are important… they expand our picture of God and the world around us. They help us be better, sharpening and challenging us.

So, who are the legends in your life that help you be more like Jesus? Pray for them, make sure you encourage them and honour them. If you can’t think of any specific people then pray that some might appear… we were never meant to live out our faith on our own!
So, on with the rest of this month’s mag. We have a few new writers (so be nice) and a few great topics covered including some stuff on God’s concern for his planet, something on joy, a look at the meaning of one of the most sung songs from last summer and (and this is good) all (yes, all) the talks from February’s Naturally Supernatural event on the radio! Now, that’s good!

Have a great month and enjoy Easter.

Cheers
editor@soulsurvivor.com