Talking Jesus in the Mayonnaise Aisle

Picture it… Talking about Jesus in the mayonnaise aisle at the grocery store as others come and go around you…

If we’re being honest, what feelings does it stir up in your heart? Discomfort? Anxiety? Fear?

Not too long ago, I would find myself awkwardly uncomfortable – to the point of shutting down – if any conversation, public or private, ventured into the topics of God, Jesus, or the Bible, but especially in group or public settings. I could give you a whole list of reasons why, but it primarily came down to two (well one, really): Fear and Insecurity. 

I feared either total rejection (even by strangers) or that my intellect would fall short and I would be left embarrassed, looking ridiculous and sounding completely scattered and frankly, dumb. I reasoned that my lack of Biblical study rendered such conversations out of my league, meant for another (better educationally equipped) person of faith. And I rested my internal argument there every time the opportunity knocked.

And then, the most beautiful thing happened in my life…

Jesus absolutely saved me.  He poured over me in my darkest season and I came to know Him, truly know Him, and understand that He loves me deeply and cherishes me just as I am.

I no longer understood God from a book.  I grew to truly know Him and His heart.  I fell into a deep and personal relationship with my Heavenly Father.

And friends, He wasn’t saying, “Come to me all who are wise.”

“Come to me all who have studied well.”

“Come to me all who have memorized and can quote my scriptures with confidence and authority.”

No friends.  He said, “I love you. I want to hold you. I want to heal you. I want to give you a place to rest your weary soul and broken heart. A place to break. A place to seek refuge and know that you are irreversibly and unconditionally loved. A place where you can anchor yourself and from which you can draw strength to face your next day, your next step. A dream. A hope. A promise for your better tomorrow.  My child, I want to show you who I am and how much I love you.”

And as I let my guard down, friends, and allowed Him to fill all the broken cracks and crevices that drowned me in insecurity and fear, I began to feel deep change stirring in my heart and in my life.

As He walked me out of my hole, my wilderness, my hopelessness, and patiently loved me into my healing, I grew to deeply love Him back and I anchored everything to Him.

Everything.

And suddenly, I found myself talking about Him everywhere I went. 

The fear of judgement faded because I no longer talked about Jesus in terms of knowledge and intellect, but rather, in terms of relationship and experience. 

I shared (and still do) on matters of the heart, my friends. Matters beyond intellect, beyond our ability to reason and understanding. 

His heart.

My heart.

Your heart.

I learned that I was called to know Him first and allow the rest to beautifully fall into place.  To let Him heal, love, and pour into me and watch as He set my heart on fire until I naturally chased more of Him.

Because friends, there’s the key… From my deeply personal relationship with Him grew a very real and natural desire to chase more of Him, and more of His heart. The study, the knowledge, the growth was fruit born from first knowing Him – not a desire to equip myself better to be worthy or have better arguments, defenses, knowledge and facts – but a desire to sit with Him and learn about His love and His life.

You see, it may be an unpopular opinion in some religious circles today, but the truth is that words are just dots of ink on a page, without life and unable to heal or bring hope into our broken hearts, without first having a personal relationship with Him. 

He is the healer. 

He is the hope. 

He is peace and love. 

So, what’s the full circle on this, you ask?

Friends, when we realize that He is calling us to share HIM with others first.  To share His love. His grace. His faithfulness and His gentleness.  His patience.  His forgiveness.  All of Him… NOT from what we can recite in our heads, but rather what we KNOW in our hearts, we will rest in the fact that we are already equipped with everything we need to share with others just how much Jesus loves them!

And when others feel comfortable talking to us about God, asking questions or sharing their brokenness, it suddenly creates space for the Holy Spirit to use us as a vessel to pour into them, love them, and touch them, bringing the message of His hope and His healing to their hearts. And get this… it also creates space for the Holy Spirit to use them to pour into us as well.

When we invite the Holy Spirit into our every day and we freely share with others how God has touched us and healed us, it creates space for powerful and beautiful conversations that plant seeds and spread His fire! 

When we let go of the fear and insecurity of what we don’t know and instead rest in the confidence, peace, and trust in *who* we do know, the power of that one simple act of courage and faith will extend far beyond what we can ever see or comprehend. 

And friends, He will be with us every step of the way, guiding our words, our hearts, and our steps.  When we step out with Him, we are never alone.

So the next time you feel that familiar rise of panic when someone mentions Jesus in the mayonnaise aisle, let your heart, your confidence, rest in Who you know, not what you know.  Open up the space.  Jump into the conversation.  Ask the Holy Spirit to pour into you until your cup overflows and pours out onto others.  And watch what He can do!

You’re so loved, my friends! 

Blessings!