The Role Of A "Stick"

Legacy has always been so important to so many and when you stop to consider what you are doing with your life you have to ask yourself some pretty important questions.  However, if you are not careful, it's easy to get swept away in thinking too much of yourself, Pride comes before the fall and in God's economy, there is not a lot of room for prideful people.  

Each one of us has been given so much.  We have real gifts, talents and blessings in our lives, but the sensational moments are to never "override" the ordinary moments in life.  The life lessons is that we live each and every day putting on our socks and shoes the same as others.  We are ALL equal in the eyes of our Creator and it's simply too easy to think too highly of ourselves. 

I heard this amazing message today from my home church located in Oklahoma where I can watch online wherever we are and this is so convenient.  Today in Life Church when Jentezen Franklin was a guest speaker. He is truly one of the most humble and self effacing men I have ever heard or seen speak, because it is never about "him" but about something bigger.  Jeff Audas introduced him to us last year and this was really a "special time" to hear what he shared today.

He talked about Moses and in Exodus 2 how the story was all about the role of simply..."a stick".  He shared how amazing it was when Moses was asked to throw the rod down and it became a snake and then, Moses ran from it!  Then he told Moses to go to the tail and pick it up and it became a rod again.  God has a way of reminding us that even when the miraculous happens, we have to ask....can we go back to just being a "stick again" ourselves?

Being puffed up or full of pride is so wrong and yet, I can think of how many times I made the mistake of seeing a miracle happen and not realizing all along, "I was just a stick".  We just can't think too highly of ourselves but yet, the "queen bee" in all of us can take over so easily.   Each of us have to ask ourselves about how we are going to live our lives, just "in the meantime", absent of the sensational and supernatural, but in the every day.

James Barnett a dear friend I have blogged about a lot, runs a greeting card company called Dayspring Greeting Cards. Its a wonderful job of position and power, but I can't tell you how many times "late night" we have talked together, prayed for our families and lives and realized, we are nothing more than just a "stick".  James through his life has taught me more about "serving others" than any of my friends.  He has modeled a life principle when he asked me the question, "What are you doing during the times when things are not sensational?"  It seems we wait for the big moments, but we live our lives in the "meantime", don't we?  The majority of life is simply "in the meantime". 

Do you get so excited when you are asked to sing a solo one special Sunday and have a hard time just singing in the background the following week?

What Mr. Franklin asked today was this.  You should get motivated to be an "usher", to get involved and give of yourself, not for what others see, but to serve.  This is what living life in the world of service really is.  Remember, it was two sticks that Christ gave his life for YOU and ME.  This is the power of the gospel, which means the good news. 

I pray each and every day, we remind ourselves that we are to be focusing on SERVING.  Legacy will take place in its time, but serve others and help those who can't help themselves.  By doing this, God will bless you in every way possible.

I am praying for you this month.

Love,

Dr. Kevin McAfee