Saturday, March 14, 2015

Motivated By Love To Take On The Role

Holiness - Justice - Love

God is all three. God won't compromise one quality to satisfy another. He is all three and many more things also but in order for Him to fellowship with fallen sinful man these three come to mind specifically.

Jesus took on roles because of love. He became a man because of love. He lived and died like a lamb because of love. He was and is holy and all that He did He did justly but it took a stretch, a reaching out or even a reaching beyond to accomplish the goal of reconciliation. He was really a King. The mount of transfiguration gave us a glimpse of who He is but for years that aspect of His nature was covered by a role He had to play in order not to compromise.

He was a man without sin but still at times He said things like, 'O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you?' (see Luke 9:41) Patience and long-suffering are also two more of God's qualities. Qualities He has revealed amazingly over humanity's history.

If the God who is changeless can take on roles so can I. Why would I bother to do it? Love. Love is the reason.

Is it right? There may be many wrong ways but there is a right one. Will it change who I am? It doesn't have to. In humility it can reveal a different side not often seen.

Justice should be upheld. Holiness needed to be honored and recognized. Love provides the right reason and grace is the right attitude.

Some people are true caretakers. It is what they do. Others do it for a season because they must. Some men are fathers to everyone and others are a father to the children God has given them but are happy to shed that role as soon as the children come of age. Has the role changed them? Maybe. Perhaps it just revealed something that was already there... or something that wasn't.

I have met a few people in my life who have a real gift of evangelism. It is amazing to watch them. I may have a gift or I may not but today I am a soul winner. I take on the role with trembling knees. If I have the Spirit I am who God says I am... nothing more and nothing less. Grace is the right attitude and the mission to seek and save that which is lost is the right pursuit.

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." - Colossians 3:16-17 ESV

Striving is one of the wrong ways. Passivity is also. Proactive resting is right. Going is right. Stretching is God's heart. Jesus took on the work of salvation and finished it. When we go by faith God manifests that reality. We are not going to accomplish something. We go because something wonderful has already been accomplished.

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