Gospel believers, Christ-exalting individuals as many as they are, diverse and with different personalities, from different social distinctions, have a call to witness to their generation, to offer themselves as instruments of grace to salt the tasteless and lost world. They are to be concerned every day with how they are carrying out the great commission. When serving those God-given opportunities – their daily work, what is their attitude?
Family men and women emphasizing the importance of working hard and dedicating themselves to the better of one’s family, what motivates them? Academician, solving problems to achieve excellence in matters learning with due diligence, what is their driving force? Environmentalists passionately plead and caution with radical recommendations to rescue the already wounded and bleeding earth, what is their firm foundation? Activists calling for a change in what they have considered emancipation of rights of the subject issue – before picking another object under their banner- what moves their unrelenting efforts. The multiple individuals, groups, or movements championing, agitating, protecting, positioning, adjudicating, and working for or against poor stewardship, political corruption, better livelihood through developed amenities, etc. what’s the end goal? Is it to ‘live happily thereafter’ or God’s eternal kingdom? For when one understands the ultimate end goal should be to please God, the gospel becomes the prime reason to live, move, breath, talk, and do all they do.
Whom we ought to imitate in gospel commitment? One with pure love for the salvation of the whole world and earnestly seeking God’s glory and praise. Not any sinful man but the perfect and Holy, Jesus Christ. He has made peace by His blood on the cross for reconciliation of all men who will believe. When godly men and women bear a deep desire to display gospel-transforming power, it is Him they imitate and display. A radicle love is Christ-sized. John amplifies it.
First John 4:19 we love because He first loved us.
Now that we got a Savior, whom we fix our eyes on, he has reconciled us to the Father in His blood, Holy Spirit bears witness of our forgiveness of sin in Him, he helps us in our simple and most of the time flawed endeavors to serve our generation. Fully dressed in His grace, we got our place to be coworkers with him. What does this look like?
Personal story
Jane, a high school physical education (PE) teacher, committed to her students and to the leadership of the school, takes PE lessons as scheduled. She does her best to see students covering the proposed activities for their fitness. She understands the wellness of students is something all stakeholders should be deliberate to achieve. She sometimes ‘googles’ to see how better to deliver the activities of the day. Do not be lied to, physical education may look exciting but not to all students. Some of them feeling lazy or thinking it is the lesson to body shame them, will be unwilling to participate. Lovingly but firmly to instruct them is her duty.
To some, she motivates while challenging on benefits of fitness. To others, having a quick and tactful rebuke helps. She has to avoid being quarrelsome. She prays for her students and sometimes quotes God’s word while exercising. She is deliberate to observe provided health measures and not ignorant of accidents. When accidents happen, she takes responsibility. She thinks it is easy to blame the already hurting student(s), which is wrong. It is a routine duty that has its measure of challenges but many opportunities to portray God’s love. She believes that having healthy and fit students, with emotional well-being, attending all lessons as supposed, honoring God, and people are a jewel for eternity.
A year ago, she had to make a decision between continuing to serve her students or being commissioned with her husband to serve in a gospel needy region. Her choice had burdens that were not easy to bear. Both were godly opportunities. Love for the unreached propelled her for the latter. Now they serve a different community, with different interests, in a different country but for the same purpose- to please God.
Serving God by serving others
Gospel believers diligently render service as unto their Lord while benefiting others. Whatever their hands find to do, in honor of God, they are committed. They do not draw the attention of people to their outstanding performances- even when others desire to point them to their achievements. No! Not them to build a Tower of Babel and dishonor their God. They know talents and abilities are God-given for His glory. They are instruments of grace in the hands of their creator to display His majesty. They are aware of their heart idols, who are ever subtle and waiting to pounce on them and maim the name of their God. It is worthy to self-examine. Curb the worldly voices that may destruct their love for God and His people. They are not pioneers of this.
Job searched himself too. He knew it was easy to trust Gold, to have misplaced confidence, to draw joy from temporal goodies, to enjoy creation rather than the creator, and entice himself with his achievements and efforts! It is a lead to folly.
Job 31:24-28
If I have made gold my trust
or called fine gold my confidence,
25 if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant
or because my hand had found much,
26 if I have looked at the sun[e] when it shone,
or the moon moving in splendor,
27 and my heart has been secretly enticed,
and my mouth has kissed my hand,
28 this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,
for I would have been false to God above.
For believers, loving the Lord has a way of pointing people to him. Love for people has a commitment to point them to God. The object of their love is the gospel.
In His kingdom,
J&J
