Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Challenges

Challenges in life come in many different forms. 
Sometimes we are challenged by circumstances that are beyond our control. Other challenges come as a result of decisions made. But the scope of challenges that I am currently facing are a direct result of God's presence at a recent conference.
This conference was directed at church leaders. There were 5000 of us there. It was exciting, almost electric. Then, it happened. A man began to say things that, to me, were as though God himself were speaking directly to me. I was challenged.
At first I began to make mental excuses as to why I should back down from the challenge. But the longer he spoke, the more I realized the need to accept this imposition. 
The challenge? Be a leader! Not a leader by title, a leader by example.  A leader willing to step out in faith to uncharted places. A leader willing to sacrifice. A leader willing to take criticism. A leader, a true leader. A leader like Jesus. Am I willing to go that far?
Because, the bottom line is:
the world crucified Jesus. 

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Workers

I've just returned from a short-term trip to Honduras. It's all the same, "been there done that" several times before. This was my first trip with a team comprised of only adults. It gave me the freedom to look around and pay attention to some things I'd never really noticed. I had never noticed how symmetrical that banana bunches grow. I had never noticed how little TV the Hondurans watch. I had never noticed how few of them smoke. Little things that aren't such a big deal. But for the first time, I noticed one thing of great significance: I noticed that all of the people in the mission that I work with (Mision Caribe) have a certain tenacity and work ethic that is rarely found so widespread in any given organization. 
They all recognize the task at hand and press towards it. I never once heard "that's not my job". I never once heard, "Oh well, that's good enough." What I saw and heard was the best effort for the Kingdom. 
I'm not saying that they are perfect, just focused. That impressed me, alot.
In Matthew 9:37-38, Jesus told His disciples, "The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers in to His fields." I will pray for workers.

The bottom line is, we need more workers like those at Mision Caribe. Pray.