Years ago a dear friend of mine, and her husband, met up with her parents at a local shopping center. Now just to give you an idea of how long ago this was....there were payphones. Her parents had just come stateside, as they were missionaries in Germany to the military. I have to give you a little view of my friend. For purposes of my writing, you need to know that while she has many amazing qualities, one of my favorite things about her is her outspokenness and spunk....they are a fun combination to watch. She is that person that says exactly what you are thinking....but would never say for fear of "being rude" or "being judged". So, they were at a shopping excursion and her father had to make a phone call. He went into a phone booth and proceeded to make his call. Meanwhile, my friend, her husband and her mom stood around outside of the booth. While they were standing there a "biker" type of gentleman came over and made it clear to all outside of the booth that he needed to use the phone. Her dad, in the booth, continued his call. The "biker" guy, outside the booth. began to pound his fist on the phone booth door and started yelling for her dad to get of the "beepity beep beep" phone. This continued for just a few moments until my enraged friend decided to take a stand. She (and her pregnant self) walked over to the "biker" (in all of his leather vested with no shirt glory) and made (well, yelled) the following statement. "IF YOU MOVED YOUR FEET AS FAST AS YOU MOVE YOUR MOUTH, YOU COULD HAVE BEEN AT ANOTHER PHONE ALREADY"! Deciding that this phone booth was not worth the hassle, the gentleman moved on. That story has stuck in my mind for years. I've heard a thousand stories in my lifetime so I've never really been sure why this one stuck....until now.
God has been working on me....alot. One of the things I have been focusing on is evaluating what I am doing with what He has given me. He has given all of us gifts, abilities and talents. Luke 12:48 states that, "...to whom much is given, much is required". Don't think that this excludes you because you think you have nothing or not enough to count as "much". Considering we all deserve nothing, I imagine anything He gives us on top of His salvation and mercy, would fit in the "much" category. That verse makes it clear that we are supposed to be doing something with the somethings we have been given. Now, table that thought for a minute.
Philippians 4 :11 says, "....I have learned, in whatsoever state I am in, therewith to be content". So wherever I am...wherever He leads me...I am supposed to be content. Whatever He gives me, I am supposed to be content. So for the Christian, the following equation would be true: Where I am = contentment. Right?? Wrong. It's interesting to note that in this passage Paul is speaking to the church of Philipi and he gives a list of over 30 actions he is doing and that God wants them to do.
Longed for, beseech, intreat, stand fast, rejoice, think on these things, learned, be abased, abound, do....and the list goes on. There is just one time that contentment is mentioned, but I'm afraid that we have confused it's meaning. Contentment does not mean sitting still. It can't, not with 2 verses later Paul saying, "I can DO all things through Christ which strengtheneth me". In verse 10 he thanks them for supporting him financially...so in this next verse he says, I'm not saying I wanted you to (support me financially), because I have learned to be content. No where in this passage does he imply that he is sitting....waiting on blessings....waiting on instructions....just killing time until he gets direction. Sitting, idling.....just being content. His contentment is referring to not expecting, not needing, not wanting them to give him financial help. Why would he? His Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills, his Father promised to never leave him or forsake him, his Father said that He will supply all of his needs. Now he might have chosen the church of Philipi to distribute that to Paul, but He didn't "need" them to...He could of used some other route if they had not been willing and listening to His leading. So Paul wasn't sitting there in expectation of them...he was content. Content to do whatever God led him to do, knowing that he would be taken care of.
Now, lets put all of this together...into some kind of heavenly casserole. All too often, I have sat....waiting...watching the paint dry...going about my normal routine, waiting for God to show me how to use my talents and gifts. I didn't make an effort to exert myself, because after all, what if I headed in the wrong direction with it, or wasted my time because that wasn't what I was supposed to be doing. Do you know how dumb that sounds now that I'm reading the words I am typing? Do you know what that is called? Laziness. I have all these things he has given me, but I'm just going to stand out here and lean up against my storehouse of goodies until He tells me what I'm supposed to do with them. I'm a writer....but unless God sends me someone that wants to publish my book, I guess I'll just sit here...waiting....and be content. I'm a teacher, but I don't guess I have anyone to teach until He lines up a women's conference to speak at...so I'm waiting...just being content. Maybe yours is that God has called you to be a parent, but you are just waiting until He lets you get pregnant so you can do that. Maybe you are a singer, but you are just waiting until God books Carnegie Hall for you, so you can use your talents. If you are a writer...WRITE! If you are a teacher....TEACH! If you are called to mother and you haven't been given children.....FOSTER some! He already gave you the talents, does He have to spell out what you are supposed to do with them, too??? He's not going to let you walk through a door He doesn't want you to go through....but you will never know if you are supposed to go through there if you just sit there on you bahonkas and don't MOVE!
My friend's, I am afraid I have mistaken laziness for contentment in my life, maybe you have done the same. In the words of my beautiful friend, "IF YOU RAN YOUR FEET AS FAST AS YOU RUN YOUR MOUTH....you might be where He really wants you already. It's moving day friends, time to do something with all the something's He has given us....I just ask that you wear a shirt under your leather vest.
No comments:
Post a Comment