viewoutsidethepew

It is 3:30am October 30 and it is 10C as the long string of warm days continues well past their expiry date.

I have just come inside. I was in the back yard looking at the sky. Jupiter, Mars, Uranus, and Saturn were all clearly visible. I was able to identify several stars. This is all unusual because I live in a town, and the town lights usually make it difficult to see the sky. I stood in amazement at the sky, a wonderful encounter with the creator of the universe!

Bathed in the darkness of night, surrounded by the pinpricks of planet lights and stars, it was like I was standing in the centre of heaven itself.

When I was a teaching assistant in Old Testament at seminary, a student questioned the mark that I gave for an assignment; the explanation for challenging the mark was that the student had put hours and hours into this paper. I said to the student that I could only mark the paper handed in, not the effort behind writing it.

If we’ve put in a lot of effort on something maybe we think that other people should acknowledge that and give us extra credit for it. But in reality people only give us credit for what they actually see is produced, the end result. Whatever effort we put into preparing for something, making something, or going somewhere, is our business. We just did it. It adds no benefit in the eyes of others, because they don’t know even if it affected the end result/product. So it is important NOT to require other people to give us brownie points for the effort that we’ve put into something. Instead, “Serve the Lord cheerfully” (Psalm 100:2a God’s Word©)

We benefit by the work we put into it because we learn something or the discipline is good for us or whatever, but they get nothing out of it directly – the end product is still only the end product. “Don’t do your duty only while you’re being watched, as if you merely wanted to please people. Do your duty like slaves who belong to Christ, who have a deep desire to do what God wants them to do” (Ephesians 6:6).

In our Canadian society we overdo that everyone should get an award or prize (participation) out of a false notion that if we do not stroke the ego of everyone they may end up damaged, but more damage is done giving them a false expectation that the world should always praise them just because, not because they actually accomplished something in a manner worthy of special note.

And what can be assessed is the end result, not participation or the time it took to finish.

Spiritually, everything we do should exalt Jesus, as Paul said, “I planted, and Apollos watered, but God made it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is important because only God makes it grow” (1 Corinthians 3:6,7 God’s Word©).

No matter how old or weak you may be you are never worthless!

It is true that some people spend their whole lives helping others. When they can no longer do that they feel useless.

LOGIC: If the people you helped wouldn’t have needed help you would not have been helpful!

Maybe it is your turn to give someone else the ministry of helping others.

We, however, live in an anti-God culture, and so we are taught that you have to make your own way.

LIES!

Jesus said that “you can’t produce anything without me” ( John 15:5b God’s Word Translation©). We do not make it on our own; we are not alone, The Spirit works wonders through us, and in us, but not in mere human strength!

Perhaps at one time you were the neighbour, like the Samaritan of the parable (Luke 10:25-37), but now you find yourself the one beaten down, near death, and some other person becomes the neighbour who helps and who is called to “Go and imitate his example!” (Luke 10:37 God’s Word Translation©).

It is past the time when we should stop telling God what we will do, and listen for the whisper of The Spirit Who says what we are to do!

Never do in your strength. Always do the in power of God by The Spirit.

“Love of material things sets us up for spiritual failure.” (Euprepius of Egypt, 4th Century AD)

The smallest universe we can experience is that made up of the material.

The smallest world we can live in is made up of our opinions.

Jesus puts us into the infinite universe and has overcome the world.

Which option will you choose: material or spiritual?

“Loud preaching and long preaching can never replace inspired preaching”, Jim Eliot (martyr), 1951

“When you pray, don’t ramble like heathens who think they’ll be heard if they talk a lot” (Matthew 7:7 God’s Word Translation©).

“The experts in Moses’ Teachings and the Pharisees teach with Moses’ authority. So be careful to do everything they tell you. But don’t follow their example, because they don’t practice what they preach” (Matthew 23:2-3 God’s Word Translation©).

It is Who we serve, not what we say, that makes the difference. If you take centre stage and leave Jesus in the wings all you are doing is putting on a show.