Several years ago I helped lead a youth ministry that had a simple axiom. In all that we did we simply tried to, "Keep the main thing the main thing." The "main thing", of course, was Jesus. That was how we measured our success and failure. At the end of the it wasn't about how many people we had show up, or how much fun we had. Our evaluative question was, "Did we keep the main thing the main thing?" If we could answer, "Yes", then it was a success. If not... back to the drawing board. It was always amazing how much fruit we experienced in the times when we managed to get out of our own way and allow Jesus to be the main event. So the simple question for us (as individuals and as a church community) is, "Are we keeping the main thing the main thing?" Is Jesus in his rightful place at the center of all that we do? Are we willing to say each day, “Jesus, I want to be open. Make your home in me. Let my life be like good soil.” Can that be our prayer each morning and throughout your day.” Following Jesus isn’t just a, “set it and forget it” kind of thing. It is an ongoing... daily (sometimes even moment-by-moment) journey. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be stuck spiritually. I want to grow in my relationship with God, but this cannot and will not happen in any way that is sustainable unless we are first willing to become like good soil and receive Jesus --the one who can and will actually produce the growth we are longing for. In fact, the truth is, we can’t even really become “good soil” on your own. We can’t do it apart from Jesus. That’s what grace is all about -- Jesus doing for us, that which we cannot do ourselves. So maybe the first step for us towards growth is to admit that we cannot do this ourselves and then invite Jesus -- the one who can -- to do what only he can do. And while Jesus is the one that does the “work” of this, we can nurture and tend to the “good soil” he has created in us. Let's keep the main thing the main thing and see where Jesus takes us!
June 28, 2010
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