So, everyday that I come into the office, I usually start my day by writing the things that I need to accomplish on my handy, dandy markerboard and make notes of things that I need to remember for the day or the week. I will generally then turn to my Google Reader to catch up on some of the blogs that I enjoy from people with a lot more experience than I and who are a lot smarter than I, hoping to glean some great nugget of wisdom from their vast array of God's movement in their lives. Somedays, God has poured out more. Other days, not so much, at least from my reader
. But today, I am hit with some hard truth and a rather convicting (due to what God is working on me) stuff from a mentor, former professor, and friend, Terry Linhart. Terry is a professor at Bethel in Youth Ministry and is really launching into the writing world full steam as he becomes more recognized in the Youth Ministry circles with his vision for Youth Ministry in the future as well as new ways to revolutionize how we reach out to students both here in the States as well as abroad.
His most recent post, today, was focused on showing up to your job and following through with obedience and not just passion. He refers to a pastor in California at a church that stretches to many places on the globe, Dave Gibbons who said at the Leadership Summit at Willow Creek, a third culture leader values obedience over passion. And this challenged me. Especially in the way that Terry worked it out in three different disciplines.
The point to my rant is this- If all I do in my life, is do the things that fulfill my passions, or make me feel fulfilled, am I truly following after Christ? For example, my laser-focused mission in life is to see high school and college students move into a relationship with Christ that transforms their lives and the lives of those around them. That's my passion. My passion burns for those students. And so, one of my pastors, Terry Bley comes to me last year and says, we need someone to coordinate a van run to Bethel and back for students. And I gladly say yes (insert sarcasm here). I don't want to make phone calls to people and set up a calendar and all of that when we aren't really sure whether or not it will get used! Does doing this transform a life? Well, maybe not directly. But why does everything that I do have to directly change a life? What if by me providing transportation for Bethel Students, I allow them to hear the Word that God has given Pastor Dave for the morning and that student encounters Christ in an amazing way during one of our worship services? Why can't my obedience be a part of that transformation?
So, the question then is, are we being obedient or are we just trying to fulfill our passion buttons? And in the long run, what is more important to Christ, His Church, and the mission in front of us?
May I continue to learn obedience to Him by following through with the tedious things that enter my life because of the passions that He continues to develop in my life.
4 Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:
