What On Earth Are You Doing For Heaven’s Sake?
[ Extracted and edited from D2Y2 Magazine – May 2000, Volume 3 Issue 10 ]
Have you seen this bumper sticker lately? I have. It caught my eye one day while driving to work. I thought it was a “cool” sticker but never gave it much thought after. Little was I to know that God was going to use that very question to turn my heart and ministry around.
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There is just so much one can do on earth and yet not move Heaven one inch.
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There is so much the church can be busy with and yet not make any real difference. On my knees, faced with this hard hitting truth, I was reminded of a scene from Indiana Jones where a sword master was zealously going through his sword routine only to be effortlessly killed by an inattentive Jones with a single gunshot. I remembered laughing at that scene. So did everyone else in the cinema.
I was not laughing this time as God reversed the role. The Church that was supposed to do less and achieve more is now doing more and achieving less. All our “war cries” and sword wielding will not scare our enemy one bit. We know that. He knows that. God told us that.
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I want to make the difference, not just “a” difference but “the” difference. How about you?_______________________________________________
Here is “the” difference:
> Helping someone carry a load while he is putting it down at the end of his journey is making “a” difference. Helping him to lift the same load at the start of his journey makes “the” difference.
> Sharing the good news with one who has already heard it is making “a” difference (at least as far as you are concerned) while sharing with someone who has never heard it makes “the” difference.
> Feeding someone who has already eaten makes “a” difference but feeding one who has not eaten at all makes “the” difference.
> Organising a worship concert for Christians makes “a” difference but organising one for non-Christians makes “the” difference.
> Throwing a party for a group of young working adults makes “a” difference but throwing one for a group of young orphans makes “the” difference.
> Spending millions to renovate the church for the comfort of existing members makes “a” difference. Spending the same amount to build 30 more churches for the benefit of “future” members makes “the” difference.
> Preaching the gospel to a thousand believers makes “a” difference but saving one sinner from hell makes “the” difference.
> Starting a CF just to sing some songs and read some Scriptures makes “a” difference but starting one to pray and care for the needs of our school and mates makes “the” difference.
And the list goes on.
The fact is, it is easier to make “a” difference rather than “the” difference. Making the difference most times than not goes against popular opinion. It usually cost us more than we are willing to pay. It is often a path that is scary and lonely, tainted with uncertainties.
It is charting unfamiliar grounds. Moving out from comfort zones. Giving up personal dreams for Kingdom dreams. “Leaving” old friends for new. Forsaking the limelight for the backstage. The recognition for the unknown.
The danger of just “making ‘a’ difference” is to think that we are actually “making ‘the’ difference” while becoming contented with our holy huddles and our self-righteous puddles, our feel good clubs and our presumptuous back rubs.
We need to ask the question again. What would Jesus do? What would He do if He was president of AYA? What would He do if He was editor of D2Y2, youth pastor, senior pastor, missions director, prayer coordinator? What would He do if He took over your job? What is the first thing He will implement or change completely?
“Go and do likewise…” for Heaven’s sake!
D2Y2, which stands for Don’t Despise Your Youth, was an official Asian Youth Ambassador (AYA) magazine birthed out in the late 90s. The printed materials communicated dynamic and effective encouragement to and from the Church, with special emphasis on the knowledge and experiences of our Christian youths, which we believe the content is still relevant and applicable in this current generation.