"A Sense of Responsibility"

The title above was a quote from an interview in TIME magazine with the President and First Lady, addressing the need for more 'volunteerism' in America. The interview overall was fairly interesting because of the emphasis on the good that comes from opportunities of service, both for those being served and those doing the serving. It was suggested though that volunteerism is probably down in large part because of the prevalent worry that exists during these unsettled economic times. Many people might be thinking they need to focus on taking care of themselves which apparently makes it more difficult to give your time, money, and energy to others. However, President Obama argued that this is exactly the time that Americans should offer a helping hand to their neighbor and their communities. You can read the full article by clicking here.

This got me thinking about a few things. As Christians we are supposed to be identified by how we love God and love others. In doing so, we are to live differently from the world around us. Almost everyone recognizes that serving others is a good thing. Even non-Christians find value in giving of yourself to others. So, how are we supposed to live different than the world around us when it comes to service? What makes us unique in this area as Christ-followers? We as Christians can be just as caught up in the economic instability as everyone else. It's hard not to. The reality for a lot of people is that times are tough. Plenty of people are losing jobs, money is tight, and religion isn't even a deciding factor. Believers and non-believers are both affected. Yet there is tension there. As people who follow the way of Christ in this world, we are called not to worry...is that possible? Most of the time our worry doesn't look much different from those who don't profess a foundation of faith. Sure, I have a little bit of security...it's "easy" for me to ask these questions. I'm not trying to judge or belittle other people's struggles or difficult circumstances, but I think we have to wrestle with these questions.

As God's people, how are we leading the way when it comes to living our lives uncontrolled by worry and insecurities? As God's people, how should we be out front leading the way in living for others and not for self? President Obama is right...NOW is the time to reach out a hand to help someone in need, not reach in to clutch what "precious" things we have left. NOW is the time to offer who we are and what we have to others around us, not circle the wagons and fortify our own economic standing. Tough words, I know. But, shouldn't we feel our own "sense of responsibility" to live as reflections of the One who continually gave of himself so that others could share in a new way of life? Shouldn't the church be providing everyday evidence that "volunteerism" will always be alive and well in the world through the lives of God's people? Shouldn't our lives as Christians be so defined by service and trust, that we buoy whole communities struggling to stay afloat in the waters of uncertainty, by offering hope and inspiring love?

At the very least, it's something worth thinking about...

--Mike

Life Lessons from the Forgotten Piano Fingers

When you are young and "wise" beyond your years, there are some things you think you know better than others. Often when someone older offers some advice you might take it as merely a suggestion. So you think you already know who you should or shouldn't date, what major/career you should pursue, how to spend your time, what sport to play, what friends to hang out with, and whether or not you should spend time learning to play a musical instrument. And these are just a few of the issues that can be significant in the lives of 12-18 year old teenagers.

When I was younger my mom really thought I should try to learn piano. She always said I had the fingers for it. At 13 and 14, I didn't have much interest in spending my afternoons "tickling the ivory," not to mention that it seems like teenagers are wired to try to do everything opposite of what their parents suggest. But now, years later, I regret not investing some time learning to play and appreciate the piano. I guess I didn't know everything after all.

There are plenty of times when we interact with God in similar ways. We are convinced that we know what is best for our lives. We decide what direction to go without first giving it over to God, and then ask him to bless our own pursuits. But we need to be reminded that just like we realize we didn't know as much as we thought we did when we were young, we also still have a lot to learn about trusting God and walking forward in faith in all things. As much as we hate to admit it, we don't have all the answers. In fact, life often invites us to wrestle with more questions, than it allows us to come up with satisfactory solutions.

I've recently decided to give learning the piano another try. I've got another chance to follow the advice of someone who may have had greater insight into my life than I did at the time. That's also the beauty of our relationship with God. He's always waiting for us to come to our senses and return to the one who knows what's best for our lives. After all, he did create my piano fingers!

Mike