Rise Up and Reach Out
One who is slack in his work is brother
to one who destroys. – Proverbs 18:9
And we urge you, brothers and sisters,
warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the
weak, be patient with everyone.
– 1 Thessalonians 5:14
Jesus never intended the church to be complacent. That
was the message given to us last Sunday by our pastor. But, oh how we want to
let someone else do the work.
We are quick to criticize. We rush to offer our opinion,
usually negative, on everything anyone else might be doing. But we really don’t
want to show up and do it ourselves. We don’t want to sacrifice time and money
to be part of a solution. It’s way easier to stand back, criticize, and condemn
those who do the work.
It’s all about us, after all. Really. It’s about what
we want and how we want things done. We want to hear and sing the music of our
choice. We want it to be the correct volume according to us. We want
interesting sermons that keep us awake but don’t convict us of anything. We
want programs and activities that we choose without having to sacrifice or pay
for things that others deem worthy. We want only people like us to attend
services and events. Does any of this sound familiar?
Pastor Ryan Martin talked about the in-between time in
which we live. We live on the other side of Jesus’ resurrection but before the
Second Coming. There is much work to be done but the laborers are few. We’d
rather coast on through life than actually reach out to see and help others.
I know this is going to shock some of you but Jesus
really didn’t come to grant you all your wishes. His life wasn’t about miracles
and making everyone rich. It was about sacrificing Himself to reconcile us to
the Father. Do we ever consider the cost?
Jesus’ birthday is less than one month away and we’re
all caught up in the frenzy of gift buying and decorations. Christmas is the
most commercial holiday we have. It’s become all about retail sales and gifts
under the tree. We’ve forgotten to love the lost and care for the broken. We’re
too focused on ourselves and our little world to remember anyone else.
Think a moment about your Christmas list. Who does it
include? What does it include? Probably
lots of gifts and food and celebrations. How might your life and attitude
change if you made a Christmas list not with things you want but a list of things
you want to do for others?
I know. That turns our me-centered world on its head
and makes us uncomfortable. We immediately defend ourselves while condemning
those who might actually need a helping hand, a kind word, an outpouring of our
love. It’s their fault, we insist. It’s not my problem, we explain.
Think a moment about who Jesus spent His time with.
Was it the rulers? Was it the rich? Was it those who had their lives together?
No. He loved on the outcasts, the widows, those who were sick. Why would we
think He expects anything less from us?
Ask God to open your eyes to see the needs of others.
Those was the words of our pastor. Christ’s work in this in-between time isn’t
done. We are His laborers. There is no room for idleness, finger-pointing, or
excuses. Rise up and work.
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