Do you wear glasses? Or are you a contact lens person? Maybe you don’t need to wear glasses at all because you have
20/20 vision. I don’t wear glasses myself, but I do see the world we all live in through a pair of ‘glasses’. If you like they are as much a part of me as breathing is. I can’t help myself and I have to be aware that I am wearing my glasses.
Jesus wore ‘glasses’, well, he didn’t because they weren’t invented ’til much later, but he did view the world through a pair of specs – they were ‘Kingdom’ specs. I think it is why so often we struggle to understand him, he just saw the world in a totally different way. It was because of the ‘glasses’ he wore.
‘Think’ is about being aware of the glasses we wear and the way we see the world, but it is also about how we wear glasses that help us to see the world as Jesus did, with Kingdom specs.
Small groups, of between 4 to 12 people, are a great way for us to begin changing our ‘glasses’ and the way we see the world. Many would say they are a vital part of being a follower of Jesus. (Indeed it is how the Methodist Church denomination began). They help us to encourage one another, pray for ourselves and others, get in touch with God the Father and talk to others about Jesus. Some folks meet in these ‘small groups during the week – on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. They meet in people’s homes, pubs and at schools.
Sometimes the small groups are encouraged to meet together at the same time and location to get to know each other better and follow a particular course/discussion or material.
“Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. ………” Romans 12: 2 (The Message)