It’s Not What You Do That Counts

You’ve heard it said, “It’s the thought that counts.” Well, we all know that’s a lame excuse for when we fail to do what we should, but what about the thought that what you do doesn’t count either?

When it comes to our walk with Christ, what we do doesn’t count either!

My “mentor” Oswald Chambers (OC) writes today, “We count as service what we do in the way of Christian work; jesus Christ calls service what we are to Him, not what we do for Him.” In life you will discover that it is far easier to work for Jesus than to abide with Him. “…that is why so many are devoted to causes and so few devoted to Jesus Christ. People do not want to be devoted to Jesus, bu only to the cause He started.” (OC)

This forces me to ask as I look at my “to do” list, how many of my tasks is Jesus asking me to do? How many are a result of my ideas instead of His? OC gives a warning that I can personally relate to, “If I am devoted to the cause only, I will soon be exhausted and come to the place where my love will falter; but if I love Jesus Christ personally and passionately, I can serve humanity though men treat me as a doormat. The secret of a disciple’s life is devotion to Jesus Christ.” While I don’t feel I’ve been treated as a doormat, I do relate to the exhaustion and faltering when my zeal to serve Jesus gets ahead of my zeal to simply abide and walk with Jesus.

karl-sara-luke.jpg

Today, is my 14th anniversary and we are soon heading out to celebrate today, but I must confess that I have been guilty of treating my wife the same way I treated the Lord in the past – trying desperately to prove my love through devoted service (doing), and missing that all she wanted, like Jesus, was ME. Not what I could do for her.I am learning in my marriage as well as my walk of faith, that those I love do not need my service, they simply want me. So today I’ll be abiding with Jesus and my wife and my boy and trying to resist the urge to DO for them, and simply BE.

Gotta Go BE! Catch ya later!

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Kidologist

Karl Bastian is the founder of Kidology.org, the creator of ToyboxTales.com, and the author of OrderoftheAncient.com. His personal website is Kidologist.com He is Big Kid with a passion for equipping and encouraging those who minister to children.

3 Comments:

  1. Great post Karl and what a great family picture as well. Luke is getting so big, my wife can’t believe how big he is getting either.

  2. Thanks Todd, and that picture is from December!

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