Just Do Something

I was spending a little too much time on the computer this morning. I was blog surfing. I really like CJ Mahaney as an author (his book "Living the Cross Centered Life" is a favorite of mine) so every once in a while I meander over to his blog and see what's new. He had a post on there that struck such a chord with me that I had to re-post it, I hope that's legal! Here is a link to it, in case that makes it more legal:

http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/Blog/post/Just-Do-Something.aspx The general gist of it is a list compiled by Kevin DeYoung (who wrote a book called Just Do Something) about not always needing to wait on God to give us some cataclysmic event or sign to prompt us into action, but using the brains He gave us and His word to guide us. I think this promotes living in an attitude of appreciating every day with it's "smallness" and seemingly insignificant details being a day that God gave us, and a day that can bring God glory in the regular things that we do. It resonated with me because I sometimes tend to seek after "fireworks" in the way I see God moving in my life and the lives of others, but this encouraged me to set my eyes to an everyday faithfulness in the small things, that aren't really small at all. Here is where my words end and Mahaney's begin:

Just Do Something
By C.J. Mahaney7/13/2010 8:23:00 AM

To close out his Next 2010 conference message, “The Church,” Kevin DeYoung gave a list of suggestions for how to be a difference maker in the local church. He said:

• Find a good local church.
• Get involved.
• Become a member.
• Stay there as long as you can.
• Put away thoughts of a revolution for a while.
• Join the plodding visionaries.
• Go to church this Sunday and worship in Spirit and truth.
• Be patient with your leaders.
• Rejoice when the gospel is faithfully proclaimed.
• Bear with those who hurt you.
• Give people the benefit of the doubt.
• Say “hi” to the teenager that no one notices.
• Welcome the old ladies with the blue hair and the young men with tattoos.
• Volunteer for the nursery.
• Attend the congregational meeting.
• Bring your fried chicken to the potluck like everybody else.
• Invite a friend.
• Take a new couple out for coffee.
• Give to the Christmas offering.
• Sing like you mean it.
• Be thankful someone vacuumed the carpet for you.
• Enjoy the Sundays that “click.”
• Pray extra hard on the Sundays that don’t.
• And in all of this, do not despise the days and weeks and years of small things (Zechariah 4:8–10).

I cannot recommend this message too highly. Please take time to download and listen to “The Church” by visiting the resource page at thisisnext.org.

There is one more message from the conference I want to highlight. We will do that next time