Not Having Agendas

So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him on his way. - Luke 14:4

It’s not unusual at all for Jesus to heal someone and to then immediately send them on their way. He regularly missed out on great opportunities to do evangelism by letting the moment pass. Instead of capitalizing on his healings, Jesus gave them out for free. He didn’t even ask people to ‘pray the sinners prayer’ or do anything overtly religious or spiritual. He just loved them and healed them and sent them on his way.

Just pause and think about how the American church would do it differently if we had that kind of power, that kind of draw? We’d turn that into a spiritual production machine, lining up baptisms like crazy, building a big small group structure and probably going out and buying a fancy new building as soon as possible. But not Jesus. He just sent them away.

It makes you wonder if perhaps Jesus’s who approach to people was as inefficient as simply loving them. It seems like that’s the case. Sure, on occasion he gets into a big conversation with folks, but even in those he’s not really driving at convincing someone of something. In those situations, it’s more likely than not that he asks people some good questions to make them wonder what God is really like and to come to grips with the reality of their own hearts. But again, he doesn’t seem to have some big agenda.

So our invitation today is to go out and love someone and serve someone with no agenda. To take the extra step to show kindness and generosity, and NOT to tell them it’s because we’re Christian and NOT to invite the to church, etc. Just love. That’s it. And see if there’s a chance to make it extravagant while still being true to the love that stands at the heart of the universe, and now, at the center of your own heart as well.