Yesterday at church–after talking about money and serving and reprioritizing our time–Jim said we get to do this. We GET to do this. We get to demonstrate to the world what Jesus is like in purpose and personality. It’s the same thing Craig often said at staff meetings at LifeChurch.tv. We are the Church. The body of Christ–and we get to show the whole world what Jesus is really like.
And I can’t help but think about a kid I know. He moved away but when he lived here I spent a lot of time with him every week. As many kids I know do, he has a hard life. Lots of bad stuff have happened to him through no fault of his own. And every time I hear someone say, we get to do this, I think of that kid. What did I get to do? Every week for almost two years I got to demonstrate the love of God in a very tangible way in his life.
I never did it perfectly and there were plenty of times I didn’t even do it that well. But I did it and I did it faithfully. Better than I could have done it alone because God was working through me.
And now I think about Musana in Uganda. I get to go back again this year. I can not wait. Because our whole team will get the chance to demonstrate the love of Christ to lost and broken kids. We’ll get to play games, tell jokes and have a lot of fun. And I stand back and think, wow, this is only a taste of what heaven is one day going to be like. We get to do this!
Every Tuesday night I have the opportunity to talk about the hardest parts of life with the best group of freshman guys in the entire world. In a group of lost and broken people, God is demonstrating his love and faithfulness through me. I get to do this.
This isn’t meant, and I hope isn’t coming across as, rah rah look at all the amazing things I’m doing. Because when I say I get to do this, I’m blown away. None of this works if it’s just me. But it’s God working through me and through countless others. I could demonstrate, as much as I can, God’s love in the lives of others–but if I’m the only one that’s doing that–all of a sudden God’s love doesn’t look as loving any more, does it?
No. We get to do this. Together. Our high school team of Bryan, Chris, Arnie, Jason, Dave, Nate and I get to do this. Together. God will take what we give, what coaches and aunts and uncles and grandmas and grandpas and older brothers and mentors and moms and dads, what they all give and put it all together – to say, hey, here’s a tiny peek as to what I’m really like. And we get to be a part of it.
How can you not love that!? When I’m giving up, when I’m depressed, when I think I’m not getting enough credit (pfft) or any other selfish thing I can think of – I go back to, I get to do this. I don’t have to. I probably shouldn’t even be here – I’m not qualified – and yet I still get to do this.
I love my job. I have a lot of hobbies I really love. But man. I love this so much more. I get to do this. I get do this. I get to do this. Blows me away.
What more important mission could there be in the world? We get to demonstrate to the world God’s lavish goodness. Someone did it for me. A lot of people. Why would I turn God down when He asks me to do it for someone else that’s lost and broken?
Why would I not pour everything I have back into this mission? Why would I hold anything back? Why would I not want to become the absolute very best at whatever God calls me to do this week?
We get to do this. And I will never do it perfectly. But I am so thankful I get to do it at all.