In a far away land, there were the gym-goers. These people believed in physical fitness and the importance of eating a balanced, nutritional diet. They went to the gym regularly, training and lifting weights. When they weren’t at the gym, they were eating healthy. They would only buy healthy food. Their actions backed up their belief in fitness. They even wore their gym clothes out in public so everyone would know they were fitness fanatics. Eventually science even came to back their belief system, showing that living their way was really the best way to live. But not everyone in this land were fitness fanatics. In fact, many people thought fitness and eating healthy wasn’t all that important. Great for you, but don’t force it on me!

One day, a doughnut shop popped up right across the street from the gym. The gym-goers believed that working out and eating healthy was for everyone, and they were encouraged to reach out and share this message with those who didn’t follow their routines. So one fitness fanatic, excited at the opportunity to go across the street and tell the doughnut shop people about their gym and about the importance of following a good diet and exercise routine, did just that.

But the gym-goer didn’t want to seem pushy about their health and fitness beliefs, so they gave way to timidity. They started to really think about how they would be seen as a gym-goer and how they would be judged and be accused of judging. The excitement faded before they even crossed the street, and by the time the reached the doughnut shop, they had decided they would simply say hi and make it a friendly visit.

On the next visit, the gym-goer got a coffee from the doughnut shop and pointed to the gym, sure to tell them they went to the gym but that the gym is for all kinds of people. You don’t have to be a fitness fanatic to go. They even denied being that into fitness, at least not as crazy as some! You see, many fitness fanatics believed the most important thing for non-gym-goers to hear is that they could be healthy even if they never stepped foot in a gym or changed their diet. They were already healthy, they just didn’t know it. So the gym-goer told the doughnut shop people just that. Now the doughnut shop people were polite enough but they of course declined the invitation—after all, if they could be healthy and not go to the gym, why go?

The gym-goer felt great about visiting the doughnut shop and eventually started to buy doughnuts with every visit. It was one at first, but then another and another until the trips to the doughnut shop were part of the regular routine. They still went to the gym but eating healthy didn’t seem to be a top priority anymore. Because the fitness fanatic was so concerned about how they would be perceived simply for being a fitness fanatic and standing on their healthy principles, the doughnut shop people weren’t changed by them at all. The only thing that changed was the fitness fanatic. They looked more like a doughnut person and less like a gym-goer.

“‘Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’” (Matthew 28:19-20)

“And then he told them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.’” (Mark 16:15)

“He replied, ‘The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:7-8)

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)

“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.” (1 John 2:15)

“You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4)

“Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.” (Colossians 2:8)

Be on your guard that going out into all the world doesn’t make you look like the world, but instead makes the world look like Christ.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.