A few days back a very dear friend of mine shared the following thoughts with some young women we share in ministry with. I found it to be very encouraging and with her permission, wanted to pass it along. I pray it provokes you to thought this beautiful day!
This past week, my husband and I visited Liberty University, where we graduated 12 years ago this May. We were able to see old friends and make new connections with other LU alumni, as well as visit the city and reminisce of old times. I believe it was also a time of refreshment for our spiritual lives as well. We were away from our day to day distractions (I don’t mean the kids) and we were able to see into other’s lives and what they are doing for the sake of the kingdom.
Upon returning from our trip, my husband spoke to our youth and I have to say, I was quite convicted. Praise God for the means that He uses to teach His children and may I always be teachable. I’d like to share with you a few of those thoughts and may your heart be pricked and convicted as well, for we all have room to grow.
If you can, think for a moment about the people around you who have something in their lives for which they are extremely passionate. I saw a news story the other day of elementary children setting up a lemonade stand where they sold pink lemonade, in order to raise money for breast cancer. Their motive? One of their friend’s mom had just died of breast cancer and they wanted to bring awareness to their small community. I have relative who lives off the coast of Georgia and spends several hours in the morning before work and several hours in the evening after work paddling to a small island and walking 2-3 miles looking for turtle eggs. You’ve heard of MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, which was started by a mom who lost a child by a drunk driver.
These are just a few examples, and I know you have some in your mind, of people who have an agenda or something they have great passion for. The origin for these pursuits varies with each person and the circumstances surrounding them. I’ll ask the question that my husband asked our youth: What’s your agenda?
I read of a young lady who graduated from Baylor University and traveled to Afghanistan in 2001 to do mission work. She, along with five other women and two men, were arrested by the Taliban because they were sharing the Gospel. They were put on trial, ironically right after Sept. 11, and some were sentenced to death and the others were released/escaped. Do you know what her agenda was? After graduating from college, she was focused on spreading the Gospel, not marriage and family or career or what she had or what she didn’t have; no, her agenda was clear and simple. “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
This time of the year we consider Christ’s agenda for coming to earth. Everything He did and said was pointing to the Gospel. He did not get caught in “good things” but did what was best and glorifying to His Father.
I challenge you this week to examine what occupies your time and where you put the most effort. Even good things can hinder us from doing what is best with our time, what is of eternal value. And many times we may do the right things with the wrong motives; motives that are self-exalting instead of God-exalting. This life is to make much of Him, not of ourselves.
For His glory, Summer
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