Part 5: Don't be Awkward

Big idea: Transforming awkwardness into opportunity

Main Point: Planting Life: The Inward to Outward Call

Prophetic Thought: Awkward moments, difficult people, and hard choices can be hard to avoid. Do we shy away from challenging interactions, possibly missing out on the life we have to live and the life we must be willing to give? How do we not grow weary when we live in a culture that is more concerned about "me" than "you"? Do we avoid the pressures of culture to fit in and look the part, to be so busy? We have to wrestle with what truly matters and what we leave behind. When Christ died on the cross, He paved the way for us to live a different life. His grace deposited in us gives us the power to plant life, to receive life, and to do good.

Application: The Gospel is not just for our own transformation, but for our community. When we walk in the freedom of Christ, we are called to walk alongside others. We can show empathy by carrying one another’s burdens and restoring those who have stumbled. We don’t grow weary in doing good, because we know we will reap a harvest if we don't give up. The Inward to Outward Call challenges us to move beyond awkwardness and embrace the opportunity to walk with those who have stumbled, focusing on restoration over rejection. This means actively planting good ourselves, rather than waiting for someone else to step up. This intentional planting takes many forms, such as gently restoring a friend dealing with addiction (Galatians 6:1), performing unseen acts of personal ministry like paying for a stranger's meal, offering second chances to those with public failures (trusting the new creation in Galatians 6:15), and choosing to have the hard, restorative conversation with a drifting team member instead of outsourcing the burden.