The most beautiful place I’ve ever been to is Crater Lake National Park, and I’ve been to some pretty spectacular places; from the Grand Canyon to Cape Town, South Africa, and several in between. The beauty of Crater Lake is unmatched, and words can barely do it justice.
The reason Crater Lake is so beautiful is because of its purity; it is the purest lake in the world, in fact is the lake by which all other lakes’ purity is measured.
You see, Crater Lake was formed when a volcano erupted, blowing off the top of the mountain and leaving behind a caldera. Over time the crater was filled with water from rain and snow melt. No water flows into Crater Lake, and very little seeps out, resulting in this pristine body of water and the bluest of blues I’ve ever seen.
There is a direct correlation between the purity of a lake and its power. Outside of its visual impact Crater Lake has little power, no outlet creating a current that flows beyond itself.
For as much as this ensures its beauty, it also limits its impact. If an outlet were to burst forth, Crater Lake would carve out a path affecting everything around it, but it would also open itself up to impurities, which would undoubtedly affect its beauty.
Most lakes around the world are impure, but then again most lakes have an outlet, which unleashes its force on the landscape around it.
As beautiful as Crater Lake is, it is equally as beautiful to see someone’s life dedicated to God through Jesus Christ. Recently we had 13 baptisms at Mt. Comfort Church, ranging in age from 4 months to 75 years old. Their commitment to Christ as Lord and Savior was a magnificent sight to see, and I was humbled to be a part of it.
Knowing that our sins are forgiven and we are made pure through Jesus’ sacrifice is transformative, but it can also cause us to be trapped if we aren’t careful — trapped by our misperception that our purity through Christ requires us to be isolated. Many times we’ll shut ourselves off from the world to make sure we aren’t being negatively influenced. In reality, what happens is that we are diminishing our impact and the power we have been given through Christ.
Jesus says in John 14:12, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.”
The work of Christ wasn’t isolated; in fact, he was intentional about impacting the world. He reached out to the least, the last and the lost. We are called into the same work, even greater work.
Our purity is not wrapped up in how the world affects us, it’s dependent upon the sacrifice of Christ and his forgiveness of our sins. And since that IS wrapped up, we are free to show his power, allow the current of the Holy Spirit to flow, and impact the world around us through whatever outlet possible.
Sure, as a Christian you can isolate yourself and think you’re preserving or protecting your spirit, but the truth is you’ll simply end up being something pretty to look at. To make an impact, you need an outlet that will unleash the power and presence of Jesus into the lives around you — which means we need to roll up our sleeves and get a little dirty.
Besides, as Christ-followers, we are not inviting people to look at us, but to gaze upon the beautiful face of Jesus.
Ethan Maple is pastor of Mt. Comfort Church. This weekly column is written by local clergy members. Send comments to [email protected].
