Monday, October 29, 2007

ARE YOU AN ASSET OR A LIABILITY TO THE CHURCH OF CHRIST?

Such a topic was requested a couple of days ago. I most likely will not address future requests unless I sense it something God is putting on my heart. However, I'll take a shot at this first one.

Are we an asset or a liability to the church of Christ? I'd say we are! Furthermore I'd say whatever we are...we all are! By these two admissions, I mean the following:
  • I Corinthians 12 discusses we are all important in the body. Too, it points out that those we deem less important (maybe even liabilities) are of key importance. We don't know the person in Christ's church who is unnecessary.
  • Paul warns us clearly of assuming self-importance/dangerous self-estimation in Romans 12.
  • Jesus encountered one Pharisaical setting after another quirky challenge where religious leaders assumed themselves to be God's tool and a weeping woman with expensive perfume or a dinky man in a tree as unworthy. Jesus reversed the faulty assumptions.

I would gage myself to be an asset in the church Jesus is building because I am such a massive liability. I most likely feel stranger in the church than most. I am precisely as Paul; one untimely born. He and I were thrust into the limelight way ahead of our skills, talents, and abilities. He believed himself to be the chiefest of sinners.........but he obviously had not heard of me. Dare I compare myself to this apostle? Only in the sense of me understanding his emotional attachment to his own and obvious weaknesses.

I indeed feel strange as God lets me get to lead in the most amazing stuff; yet I never "feel" the part. I never feel up to the task. I trust Him immensely. I wouldn't trust me as far as I could throw me. Are we assets or liabilities? My best guess is we are all loony liabilities just hoping Jesus will transform us into useful assets by His Holy Spirit. Fortunately, hopefully, mercifully, gracefully....HE DOES!!!

One of the things I love about the kingdom of God is it has such a special place for the misfits. I get to be a part of the greatest movement on earth. How about you?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dad, this is good. I miss you!
Wend

Brenda said...

I think we can be both an asset and a liabiltiy in the kingdom. I think that we (as humble individuals) tend to find it more difficult to identify our assets. We don't want to appear arrogant, bold, or outspoken. Yet the thing we do is sit back and wait for someone else (that we think is an asset) to come along and tell us that we are good enough to use our own.
An asset is something that is of 'value' so in the church, I think we are all assets in same way or another.
I don't like the word 'liability'! It ususally means something of hindrance, something that holds you back! When you put the word 'liablity' in that context, I pray and hope that I am never like that.
I want to be part of the 'asset' train and jump on board!
I am a misfit...and that's okay. That means I'm real, that means I'm unique, and that means it takes really special people to love me...and I know they are part of the kingdom!
I love you Terry!

Kyler Erwin said...

Let me just say Terry. Thank you for being an encourager and not discourager. There is already enough negative out there. This truly is the greatest movement and I am so glad to be a part of it.