Co-laboring with God is a daunting task! He’s serious about it and we want to be. That the two of us would be yoked for any particular task surely seems to be unequal, wouldn’t you agree? Wouldn’t one of us (the one being the human) simply melt or fry standing beside the Mighty One? Yet, He seems to chart the course and extend His clear partnership invitation.
I find delight in observing our people (His body) work the kingdom halls. There is one special kind of servant which seems to exemplify what I would regard as entering our greatest moments of service. Again, such is not law; simply observation. We seem to be the most like Christ when we serve in the areas we don’t want. The reason I believe this to be important is because I know so many very nice, beautiful, intelligent Christians who feel like zeroes and they can’t figure why. One of the reasons may be they never cross the line to serve in the dangerous or the dirty zones. They remain self-preserving in the name of safety and good logic.
Yet it is this factor which made Jesus who he is. He went where the religiously clean would not dare and touched those the pristine law abiders would not. In other words, he actually crossed the road and went into the ditch. This is daring, risky, and hyper-meaningful to the servant heart. Many of our people are stuck believing the world is passing them by when, in reality, it is. It’s passing them by because their greater concern is over bargains at the mall and not seeing the janitors there. It’s passing them by because they want to do God-sized work, but they want it equipped with a well-lit bathroom, a respectable income, and clean fingernails.
Our greatest moments of service are those which we serve scared; those where we find ourselves in over our head and out of our league. I’ve experienced a few and find myself not wanting to enter those zones again. Yet, we must. I understand the resistance. However, it is both the example of Jesus and the call of God. We are to lose our lives. He said when we do we will find life. The reason this generation can’t find their lives is they refuse (in quite orderly and acceptable fashion) to lose them. In self-preservation the only thing left at the end of the day is frustration that life is opening for others but not for me.
I’ve told you something very valuable today which is likely the answer to someone you know depressed. Our greatest moments of service are entering the zones of dirty and unsafe. There we will find our God….like in a smelly old manger.
3 comments:
The hardest thing I did in ministry was to go work in downtown Long Beach on skid row, not just serving meals to the homeless, but sitting down on the grass and talking with them. But the reward was amazing! I despise going into Mexico ... very dangerous these days, and yet some of the most wonderful experiences in ministry have been down there among the poorest of Mexico's poor. I'm not writing this to say I've arrived, but to say you are so right on this. Thanks for the reminder, Terry.
I hear you and amen the need to move out of our comfort zone. I struggle with some of this though. Some have made the arguement, following this line, that the more spiritual, more "Christian" thing is to serve the poor and dirty and live below the poverty line.
Would you care to comment on where you see my responsibility for providing for my family, for example, or for where their safety in relation to all this fits. Am I expecting too much of myself or family? Are others expecting too much of me? I really struggle with feeling too materialistic. I struggle with passing up any person broken down and not thinking of the "good samaritan". I have come to some peace, with thinking that may be just rationalizing, trusting my wife's intuition or advice.It is ok for me to stop for someone on the side of the road if the family is not with me. But I have to think of their safety too, the thinking goes. Do I have less faith because I am reluctant to take my kids off to some situation? Any thoughts? (sorry for such a long comment)
Terry,
Wonderful thoughts and post brother. I really enjoy your blog and have added it to my favorites. I am looking forward to reading as often as I can. God bless you in ways you never dreamed. I hope you have a blessed weekend.
Post a Comment