“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last.”
John 15:16
Earlier this week, a good friend and colleague gave my team a nice compliment. He mentioned that through the multiple channels and facets of the industrial world, our great customer service had spoken volumes to many and our willingness to tackle whatever had opened more than one door. He went on to praise our speed of job executions, experience in finding the one-eyed unicorns and even mentioned how he thought we might be one of the best in the business. The accolades were warm and gentle to say the least, especially given his tact and vernacular, and in a moment of tender humility, I lowered my head and released an emotionally soft “thank you.” But, almost as quickly as the polite acknowledgement left my lips, I asked him to keep us in his thoughts and prayers. Puzzled, he said he would and proceeded to ask why. I told him my utmost desire was to dance before the Lord and that being the best in the business was a dream at one time but today, being the most Christ-like was all that mattered.
You see, this past year has been pretty rough. The haters have come out in droves; the malicious have waited for their chance to pounce; the deceivers have attacked from all angles; and the wolves have taken more than their fair share of what has remained. My efforts to make things right were buried in the mud and put on public display. My attempts to forgive were turned into some sort of circus sideshow and my endeavors to take the path less traveled were intersected with those who wanted to remove us from the road altogether. It seemed at every turn to absolve and repair, a liken to a modern-day Pharisee, Sadducee and even a viper, awaited my arrival. No matter which avenue I traversed, the hurling of stones in my direction were inevitable and found their mark all too often.
While this ugly commentary and hostile activity have been difficult to swallow, especially with the deliberate push of foot washing in everyday activities, I have found it necessary to take it in as stock and compare it with what is actually in the mirror. This exercise has not been easy, particularly when the sin of my pride runs as deep as it does, but it is completely necessary when I understand what Jesus said, who He said it to and why.
In Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi, he encourages believers in Christ Jesus to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. He communicates an awe-filled reverence and humbled dedication to God, which ushers in a response of obedience to God’s ongoing work in the believer’s life. It is a long obedience and requires nine full innings of commitment and staying the course, predominantly when the game goes into overtime and the fight seems never ending. It requires substantial time in the fire and a lack of anxiety when the answers from the reflection on the wall are finally revealed.
My family, my business and how I manage both is extremely important to me. But if at any time in this race I don’t do either with complete abandonment and disregard for myself, and a wholehearted honor, glory and love for Christ alone, I have gained the same ground as the penniless, homeless, martyr who burned at the stake with an absence of the same. Jesus Christ and His kingdom are paramount and for me, mandatory. Any life lived without that legality and truth is no life at all and worthy of having its branches picked up, set ablaze and thrown out with the chaff.
