People Matter is a value at Koinonia Church. People Matter is a value of mine. But more importantly, People Matter is a value of Jesus’.
I wish values came easily, but most must go through crucibles before genuinely establishing themselves as our own. It’s a natural reaction for values to be pressed upon because, if they are never pressed, are they ever legitimate?
This value is difficult because people are difficult. I find it interesting that the very thing that causes us the most pain – relationships with people – can also bring a great sense of healing in our lives. ‘People hurt us and people heal us’ should be the subtext underneath the principle of People Matter.
As Christians, we often find ourselves in tension. We love both our neighbor and our enemy, are full of grace but have a desire for discipline, and have a distaste for sinful things, yet love sinners.
Values come with unspoken surrounding factors. That’s why it’s so important that values be worked out within our souls. Everything of value has a significant cost attached to it. Valuing people has a major cost attached. It is so simple, so true, and yet so very annoying. I wish values came easily. Values have to be anchored to actions or they might float away from our emotional bandwidth.
That’s why our church and a few others have collaborated on Serve Day. Since it is happening this Saturday, I will use it as an example. Serve Day is when we collaborate with other churches to serve our community and share the Gospel of Jesus. We do this because people matter.
It’s too easy these days to get caught up in our own needs and wants. I bet if you weighed your thoughts, you’d find yourself doing it more than you’d like to admit. Unfortunately, just like you, when I’m busy or dealing with personal issues, it seems to amplify my self-focus. That’s why we should have checkpoints put in place to make sure we are sticking to the things we value.
Serve Day reminds us every year that no matter what other things we have going on, people matter. Don’t fall for the lie that you should think of yourself more often than you think of others. Yes, there is a time for self-care and rest, but the lie seems to emphasize those things far too often.
As followers of Jesus, we hold a deep respect for people and strive to put their needs before our own. This shared value unites us and strengthens our community. “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” -Gal 5:13
Suppose you’ve been busy, in a challenging situation or focused on your life for too long? I challenge you to take a break from thinking about your stuff and go serve someone else, maybe even someone who doesn’t deserve to be served, and watch how refreshing it is to your soul.
Chad Fagundes is Men’s and Outreach Pastor at Koinonia Church in Hanford, CA. He can be reached at chad@kchanford.com or 559-582-1528