In response to my previous post, I felt it was only right to present the other side of the coin. Yesterday I encouraged college students to seize the day and commit to participation within the local church now - no matter how busy their life is because, unavoidably, their lives will only get more busy. Today I want to talk about those out there who have plenty of time to give to the church.
Brian Wong had some good comments on the subject. Here's part of his comment here:
"...I suppose I'm being slightly naive when I suggest this, but I'm still inclined to believe that I'll be less busy when I'm done with school. Granted I point to my experience as an intern this summer, but for now, that's all I have to go on. I'm at work from 9:00am-5:00pm or 6:00pm. After that, I kick back and relax. I can play on the computer. I eat dinner. I can catch up on e-mail. I play my guitar. I can go visit friends and family. I can spend that time how I wish..."
Fortunately, Brian is on the same page in regards to recognizing the importance of committing yourself to ministry involvement. Yet his comments reminded me of someone I used to know: me. I remembering having the same argument while I was in college: "At least with work, you don't bring it home with you!" That is often true (unless you own your own business), but for those of us with families, our work doesn't begin until we get home.
However, today I want to talk about those who find themselves after college in what I perceive a completely foreign (if not idyllic) situation: they've graduated from college, have a good job, but haven't (for whatever reason) found a spouse. For these people, the Bible is not silent. The simple fact of the matter is that they have more time to devote to whatever their heart chooses. For many that is the pursuit of idle pleasure, but I encourage you to devote your time all the more to ministry.
So really, my exhortation to this group is the same as those time-starved individuals. Devote your energy now to ministry - no matter how busy college is or isn't for you. In the end, investing in kingdom work is the only thing that matters. God's Word says that "He who is faithful with little, will also be faithful with much." Allow God to teach you and work in you as you serve today - and wait to see what He will ask of you in the future.
Something I always say is that you make time for what is important to you. Do not relegate living the gospel and serving the church to a later date - do it now!
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1 comment:
Wow. I've been quoted. How about that? Somebody alert the newspapers and the news reporters.
OK. OK. In all seriousness, I have to agree with you, Phillip. The act of "living the gospel and serving the church to a later date" certainly isn't what God calls us to when we become his children. To believe that this is acceptable is to forget that we are in the midst of a great, sometimes unseen war. To forsake the "fellowship of believers" is to go out in the middle of a battlefield alone. To skip ministry with the expectation of coming to it later is to leave the sentry post while the enemy approaches. To cease living the gospel is to take off the body armor just as the bullets begin to fly. We need to be cognizant of what's happening around us and the importance of participating in the Body.
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