Introduction:

To this day, I remember the first summer I came home from college. As I walked up to our front door, my father didn’t welcome me with a hug or even a “Good to see you.” Instead, he met me with three blunt words: “Get a haircut,” though my hair barely touched my ears. My father had an unbending belief that a man’s hair should never be too long. For the first time in my life, I stood my ground. I reminded him of my good grades, my solid reputation, and how I’d never given him a minute’s trouble. Trembling, I told him if he meant what he said, I’d find another place to live that summer. Thankfully, my mother intervened, but that day revealed a powerful truth: Even people who love each other deeply can disagree profoundly over matters of personal preference.

In today’s highly-charged culture, disagreement is inevitable—especially when it comes to politics, social issues, and personal choices. Romans 14 addresses this very challenge faced by the early church, where Jewish and Gentile believers clashed over food choices and holy days. The principles Paul taught them apply to our own struggles. When it comes to the gray areas of life—those issues where Scripture isn’t explicitly clear—we must be free to disagree without making it “all about me.” These principles will help you maintain unity even when you don’t see eye to eye.

Russian author Leo Tolstoy once wrote, “My question was the simplest of questions…. ‘What will come of my whole life? Why should I live, why wish for anything, or do anything?’” This question echoes in every human heart: What’s my purpose? Why am I here? While philosophers may debate the greatest question of life, believers in Jesus don’t have to wonder about their purpose. As we continue our “Who We Are” series, we discover the fourth dimension of the cross-shaped life: we haven’t just been born into this world; we’ve been sent into it. Just as Jesus wasn’t merely born but sent with divine purpose, we too are commissioned with the same mission: to seek and save the lost. When Jesus told His disciples, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (John 20:21, NIV), He revealed our ultimate calling.

The great 19th century evangelist, Dwight L. Moody said, “The measure of a man is not how many servants he has, but how many men he serves.” This is the essence of the cross-shaped life we're exploring in our “Who We Are” series. While our culture often measures success by what we accumulate or achieve, Jesus demonstrates a radically different measure of greatness. As He declares, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45, NIV). The One who deserved to be served came to serve us! Today, we discover that service isn’t just something we do; it’s central to who we are as Christ-followers. It’s not an optional add-on to the Christian life but an essential expression of a life transformed by the Gospel.