Dear Explorer,
Re-Read John 21:20-23
I do not understand God's ways. But this I have learned: What He requires of me, may be totally different from what He requires of you. And if I am not careful, I will be critical of you.
My responsibility is to follow and obey where Jesus is leading me. I must not require the same of you!
Let me give you a simple example. This experience was from way back before we had kids to keep us entertained!
Just about every night between dinner and bed, David and I would prepare music for a mini concert that we performed each Wednesday night at our church. Then we would relax by singing soft rock and roll stuff. We would just sing through book after book of these pop tunes. One Saturday evening, I was singing, when I noticed shadows on our living room curtain.
We lived in a “basement” apartment and the windows were half underground. There was a window box dug down around each window so that we could get sunlight. There was a wooden box around each window – and from the shadows I could tell that there were 8-10 kids sitting on that window box listening to our music. I didn't disturb them but whispered to David that we had an audience. So, we continued to entertain them without them knowing that we knew they were there. After several days of this, I slowly opened the curtain – and boy did they run. So, the next time, I let David play the piano and I snuck out and went to talk with them. I told them I appreciated their listening and just wanted to meet them. We became “friends”.
As I began to pray for them and consider what I was teaching them – I realized that God was calling me to re-consider how much time I spent on the secular music and how much Christian music I was giving them. I felt God asking me to commit to doing 100% music that honored Him. It didn't seem to diminish the audience's enthusiasm. And I felt that that was what God was calling me to do. I have not sung “secular” music since then (at least not for performing or entertaining).
Now there's no Scripture that says you shouldn't sing secular – at least if it's clean. But it's something that God has asked me to do. David sings and plays secular music and that's just fine. I listen to it, but I won't sing it. I felt a specific call and I want to be obedient. I won't use my voice for anything except songs that tell about Jesus.
God calls some people to be missionaries, others He does not. It would be wrong for missionaries to be critical of other followers who don't give up their lives and move to a foreign mission field.
At times, God has called us to give sacrificially when others around us are not asked to do that. But the blessing comes from obedience to what God is asking us to do – not whether everyone else agrees or participates.
I believe that's the point Jesus wants you to get. Don't be looking at what God is doing in other people's lives – keep your eyes on Him. If you give because they gave, or you go because they are going, or you serve because others are serving – you will miss out on the blessing that God has for you.
God will bless your obedience. He will develop a personalized, individualized plan for your life. Your obedience brings the blessing.
God's plan for you will be different from anyone else's plan. As you obediently follow His instructions one step at a time, then you can be certain that you are right in the center of God's will for your life.
In His service, dale
Next study