At the end of the month I will turn 24. That is not old but it does cause me to reflect. It makes me and others and ask the questions…
What have you accomplished? What do you have to show for your life? How have you spent your time? How much money do you have? What has your lifestyle cost you?
So I thought I would answer those questions in my blog. First on the agenda. How have I spent my time?
Well I have been dedicating my life to ministry for the last 5 1/2 years. From the time I graduated high school I have spent the majority of my time doing ministry. It hasn’t always been my source of income but it has always been my priority.When someone ask me how I spent my time, that’s what I tell them. Investing in people. But then the next question is almost always, what did you give up to do that?, or how much did it cost? I hate talking about that. I feel like that person we have all talked to at church. The “I don’t want to brag, but I did this this and this for the poor, and I did this and this and this for the church. I have tithed this much to date and I prayed or x amount of people”. So I will start with the time thing.
I know how I have spent my time. I spend most nights meeting with people, trying to pour into them, offer council, or just listen and in return be encouraged. I spend most Wednesdays hanging out with high school and jr. high students. I spend weekends doing retreats, or conferences and every Sunday morning is spent at church, serving and learning. I have gone to countless sporting events, plays, musicals, and award banquets. I have went to over night lock -ins (which are created by the enemy), gone paint balling and every year I ride a bus for 24hrs to Florida and back. I have done it all, I have taught large groups, moped the floors, picked up trash, decorated, painted, led small groups, organized events, written curriculum,fed the homeless, served the elderly, picked people up in the middle of the night, cried w/ people, laughed w/ people. I have given up, time, money, effort, love. I have been rejected, accepted, neglected, loved, valued, and have gone overlooked.
Don’t hear me wrong as I say all this… I have received much. Everything I have given has first been given to me. I have gained knowledge, wisdom, and power through the Holy Spirit.
Did you notice how the time thing turned into the what I gave up thing as well. They really do go hand in hand. I think it is important to talk about what we have given up. When we talk about what we give up it shows what is valuable to us. So obviously, time, money, effort and love are important to me. When we ask why we give something up it shows what is even more valuable to us.
But sometimes I can get caught up in what I have given up. I can throw myself a pity party because no one has noticed, or because God is not rewarding me how I see fit. I can live in expectation of others because I have given them something and want something in return. I can expect labels to be given to me such as “selfless” “radical’ or “Christian”. All based of a sacrifice. This is what I have learned though about what I sacrifice. Jesus does not care! Gasp! Some of you are about to freak out on me. I know what you are thinking. But here is the deal… Jesus cares about who you love, who you offer up compassion to, how often you give grace. Not what you sacrifice in His name.The sacrifice doesn’t matter if the people you sacrifice for don’t matter to you. Matthew 9:13 says ” But go and learn what this means:”I desire compassion, and not a sacrifice.” and then again in Matthew 12:7 Jesus repeats himself. So Jesus doesn’t care if I live out of a back pack for four months, or give up my job, or leave behind my high heels & coffee press. He cares if I really love the people I serve now and the people I serve in the future. I’m not saying we shouldn’t count our cost. We should. We need to know how much we are willing to pay for someone, for something, or for an experience. But the cost doesn’t matter if my heart doesn’t walk in obedience to Christ out of love or Him. God doesn’t care if we sacrifice for a job, for a degree, for a house,for a trip,for people, or for safety. He cares why we sacrifice and if he is the motivation behind it.
So maybe the questions shouldn’t be
How did you spend your time?
How much did it cost you?
Maybe they should be
Who have you loved?
Why did you pay the cost for something or someone?
Did you offer up grace and compassion?
I would love to hear what you have sacrificed, and why. I would love to pray with you about what God might be calling you to sacrifice. I want to know what has cost you the most and why you are willing to pay that price. Comment here or e-mail me at [email protected]
Also I want to say a huge thanks to everyone who has sacrificed for me. I am grateful and trying desperately to sow back into the kingdom what you first invested in me.
