Jonathots Daily Blog
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This weekend was the Fall Festival at the Emmaus Lutheran Church in Orange City, Florida. Also appearing, on the under card, were Cring & Clazzy.
Please understand, I am not lamenting having second billing. After all, the church does use the occasion to raise funds for a very worthy cause.
It’s just that in this season of mediocrity colliding with confusion, the church can no longer take an approach of “business as usual,” as it prepares for the Pumpkin Patch sale, while the huge hand basket arrives to take everybody to hell.
What are the needed adjustments?
What is the responsibility of the fellowship of the followers of Jesus in this season of turmoil and tribulation?
The first and foremost principle that we as Christians and churchgoers need to understand is the power we possess, instead of complaining over our inability to affect circumstances.
One of my sons contacted me this weekend in frustration and said, “Pop, what can we do?”
From his message I sensed that he had a real heart to make a difference, but all he sees are gray walls of discontentment closing in on him. Perhaps the answer is so simple that it escapes those who are trying to participate in complex study. Here’s the path:
Stop trying to do what you can’t do.
In the pursuit of equality, we believe that everybody, everywhere, has equal ability for everything. What could be more ridiculous?
About fifteen years ago, I was traveling with my family band. During a performance, I turned to the audience in speaking about my oldest son’s bass guitar playing, and shared that Jesus was impressed, because “my boy plays bass guitar better than Jesus.” It was a jocular toss-off, based upon Jesus himself saying that “greater things would we do because he goes to the Father.” But it offended the pastor, who insisted that if Jesus wanted to play bass guitar, he’d be the “best bass guitar player in the world.”
We have become defensive. Desiring to do everything, we’ve ended up doing nothing. Keep in mind that perseverance is a virtue–but “stubborn” is a vice.
God the Father has given Mother Nature to us to clarify what we are good at and what we aren’t. If you have tried to do something five or six times and failed on each occasion, number seven is not going to work either. Although you may find testimonials of people insisting it was on the 28th occasion of launching their idea when it finally worked, God is pretty merciful. He lets us know when something is growing and when something is dying.
So that’s my message to the people of Emmaus and also to the folks who faithfully read this blog.
Stop trying to do things you can’t do.
It opens the door for others to perform their talent and magic, while you watch. And then they can step back and allow you the platform for your gifts.
We will continue to flounder in a series of projects, proposals and even prayers–unless we begin to assess what we do that actually works, and what we continue to chase, hoping it will catch fire.
The good news is that each one of you has gifts that have market quality and human ministry.
The better news is, if you will stop trying to do what you can’t do, you’ll have so much more time for what you do well.
The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity
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