Through the Seasons

Value-sized

I heard recently of an NFL football coach whose life’s goal was winning the Super Bowl.  When he did win, he said it was the biggest letdown of his life.  It didn’t feel like he always dreamed it would.  I wonder if he was trying to find purpose, fulfillment, and significance in winning that big game.

Have you ever been on a mission trip, participated in a ministry, or done something nice for someone and felt a ‘rush’?  When I went to Honduras I felt like I was serving a purpose and doing something significant.  Coming back from that to enter back into my ordinary life doing my ordinary job was a letdown for me.  I felt I wasn’t doing anything valuable anymore.  I felt I wasn’t as valuable anymore.

There is such a temptation for Christians to find their value outside of Jesus Christ.  We are significant because we are children of God.  Nothing else.  Not because we have led X number of people to Christ.  Not because we are on X number of church committees.  We have the opportunity to serve God out of love and gratitude but if we don’t serve we are still valuable to Him. 

What this used to equate to for me was having a list of rules.  The do’s such as reading my Bible, praying, going to church, and serving in structured ways.  The don’t’s which were only what I perceived as ‘the biggies’ that aren’t even temptations for me and all sin is sin anyway.  (So my worrying is a sin but I ignored that while feeling pretty good about myself because I wasn’t involved in homosexual practices.  Go me.)  The dynamic of having a relationship with Jesus was gone.  And can I tell you how motivating shame and guilt are?  Zero.  Now that I am breaking free from the should’s and ought to’s, I serve more often, in more ways, and more fervently than I ever have before. 

Jesus said we are to be witnesses.  That doesn’t necessarily mean we’re to walk up to strangers, spill an evangelism outline to them, and mark that task off our list.  Have you ever noticed what happened when Jesus healed people?  I haven’t studied to know if it happened every time but I know it happened often.  The person would be healed and they would just rejoice and praise God.  Through that, others would be amazed and praise God too. 

I don’t believe the only way we are witnesses is by becoming pastors and missionaries.  I believe the strongest witnessing we can do is praising God while we’re doing the task God sets before us.  If we can be joyful in our jobs, in our housework, in our daily errands… that is a HUGE testimony.  How many people do you know who love the mundane parts of their lives?  We wouldn’t either if Jesus wasn’t right there with us.  He has promised us joy.  Let’s receive it, praise God for it, and live our testimony.  I believe these are the times those who are struggling through life without Christ will see the hope we have and want it for themselves. 

So, just in case you didn’t know, YOU are significant and valuable because you are a child of God.  Let us be full of joy and praise God!