Wisdom and Insight
Josh Bowen gave me some of the best wisdom, insight, and encouragement I have had in ages. He even told a parable!
I was talking to him about how worried and frustrated I continue to be with the college group. "Sometimes, they won't show up. They've left for a church that has a reputation for shallowness. They won't pay attention. Some won't read the material. And I feel like my ministering is a waste. It's not getting anybody anywhere. And I want to say, 'HOW can I minister to you if you're AREN'T even paying attention!?!?!?!?!'"
And Josh said,
"Randy. Who's job is it to minister?"
I said, "Mine! Duh!"
He said,
"RANDY!" short pause, and then,
"You see that lawn mower on our back porch? What does a lawnmower do? It cuts grass. But what good does it do for that mower to sit on our back porch and say to itself, 'I am going to cut the grass. I am cutting grass. I am a mower, and I cut grass. The grass needs cutting. I cut grass. I am a mower. It's time to cut the grass.'?
No good at all. Only when the Master comes out of the house, and starts up the mower and uses it, does it do any good.
It's no good for you to sit and say, 'I am a minister. I need to minister. I am ministering. These guys need to be ministered to. I am a minister. See me minister? I am ministering.'
Your job, Randy, is to be available to the Lord so that when He is ready, He can use what you say to people."
WOW! Great call!
He went on to say that even if I never, ever see any results from my work, I must be obedient to do it because it's what God has called me to do. And he also pointed out that--even though I am frustrated with a certain group of people that sometimes show up--I am not able to see if the guy that sits one row in front is really being changed by our work.
I need to stop worrying about whether I am 'doing any good'- that's the job of the Holy Spirit. I just need to be obedient.
Praise the Lord!
I was also able to point out something true and poignant to him.
We were talking about service, and Josh said, "But Randy- not everyone is comfortable going to an old folks home and ministering. Maybe you are, but a lot of us aren't."
And I said, "No one is comfortable with it, Josh; we go because we're told to. God said take care of the widows and orphans. It doesn't matter whether it's in our comfort zone or not, we go because He told us to."
That was really sharp to him. He felt the prick of truth, I think. Just as I had a couple minutes before.
Folks, service isn't an option. The guys I am frustrated with right now aren't serving anyone but their GPA. School is important- it's where God has placed us. But to believe that school is the only thing God wants us to do----that's just believing a lie of the Devil. Because it's slowing down the growth of the Kingdom of God.
Don't tell me you don't have time. I never want to hear that excuse again- not from myself, either.
On a subject Angela brought up a few weeks ago, I had to sing to myself in class today. "I am NOT the judge, and I am NOT the jury. I'm NOT the one the you have to answer to."
I was judging someone today while they prayed. And I was judging someone else while they were not paying attention.
It's not my place. I AM NOT THE JUDGE.
Whew. Thank you, Lord, for ministering to me today, and making me grow. Josh said that eventually, we'll be bigger, stronger people... and we STILL won't deserve any of it. He's right. God is growing me and challenging me... even though I still deserve to be thrown to the demons and tortured for eternity.
Can I get a witness?
I was talking to him about how worried and frustrated I continue to be with the college group. "Sometimes, they won't show up. They've left for a church that has a reputation for shallowness. They won't pay attention. Some won't read the material. And I feel like my ministering is a waste. It's not getting anybody anywhere. And I want to say, 'HOW can I minister to you if you're AREN'T even paying attention!?!?!?!?!'"
And Josh said,
"Randy. Who's job is it to minister?"
I said, "Mine! Duh!"
He said,
"RANDY!" short pause, and then,
"You see that lawn mower on our back porch? What does a lawnmower do? It cuts grass. But what good does it do for that mower to sit on our back porch and say to itself, 'I am going to cut the grass. I am cutting grass. I am a mower, and I cut grass. The grass needs cutting. I cut grass. I am a mower. It's time to cut the grass.'?
No good at all. Only when the Master comes out of the house, and starts up the mower and uses it, does it do any good.
It's no good for you to sit and say, 'I am a minister. I need to minister. I am ministering. These guys need to be ministered to. I am a minister. See me minister? I am ministering.'
Your job, Randy, is to be available to the Lord so that when He is ready, He can use what you say to people."
WOW! Great call!
He went on to say that even if I never, ever see any results from my work, I must be obedient to do it because it's what God has called me to do. And he also pointed out that--even though I am frustrated with a certain group of people that sometimes show up--I am not able to see if the guy that sits one row in front is really being changed by our work.
I need to stop worrying about whether I am 'doing any good'- that's the job of the Holy Spirit. I just need to be obedient.
Praise the Lord!
I was also able to point out something true and poignant to him.
We were talking about service, and Josh said, "But Randy- not everyone is comfortable going to an old folks home and ministering. Maybe you are, but a lot of us aren't."
And I said, "No one is comfortable with it, Josh; we go because we're told to. God said take care of the widows and orphans. It doesn't matter whether it's in our comfort zone or not, we go because He told us to."
That was really sharp to him. He felt the prick of truth, I think. Just as I had a couple minutes before.
Folks, service isn't an option. The guys I am frustrated with right now aren't serving anyone but their GPA. School is important- it's where God has placed us. But to believe that school is the only thing God wants us to do----that's just believing a lie of the Devil. Because it's slowing down the growth of the Kingdom of God.
Don't tell me you don't have time. I never want to hear that excuse again- not from myself, either.
On a subject Angela brought up a few weeks ago, I had to sing to myself in class today. "I am NOT the judge, and I am NOT the jury. I'm NOT the one the you have to answer to."
I was judging someone today while they prayed. And I was judging someone else while they were not paying attention.
It's not my place. I AM NOT THE JUDGE.
Whew. Thank you, Lord, for ministering to me today, and making me grow. Josh said that eventually, we'll be bigger, stronger people... and we STILL won't deserve any of it. He's right. God is growing me and challenging me... even though I still deserve to be thrown to the demons and tortured for eternity.
Can I get a witness?
posted by Elmo at 12:05 PM
4 Comments:
wow....what a post! Thanks Randy, for sharing that.
I am a witness.
i needed to hear that today, Randy. i need to hear a lot today, actually, because i've been hearing negative in my mind and dealing with the warfare. you're right on-we are the jars of clay being molded for use in the Crafter's hands.
just some days it feels like He puts the jar in the oven then sees something else that needs to be smoothed out so He presses out the flaws then puts it in the oven again.
Is He safe? No, but he's good.
HOLA RANDY! Guess who this is...We haven't spoken in awhile....take a guess!
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