15 November, 2010

Stick-to-it-ness

I ran across a quote today by Josh Billings that I shared on my Facebook status. After posting it there, I just could not get this one out of my mind. The quote says, "Consider the postage stamp: its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there."  That is a powerful statement... and one that is so desperately needed in the times we live in.  This is needed in so many aspects of life, but as a Pastor, I am focused on this statement in the realm of the church and our faith. There are so many different aspects of this that I could go into, and it may very well be that I look at this several times over the next few days because there is just too much to put into one blog. I'll do my best to limit the scope of today's entry. 


The first thing that jumps out at me is simply how so many people are up and down, in and out with their faith. From one day to the next, they could go from a person with a raging fire of passion and excitement in their faith to a weak, blubbering, whining, down and out person who is questioning everything about God. Truthfully, I'm not impressed with the person who comes boasting of their "new found" fiery faith. I've learned that more times than not, it will only be a few days or weeks and they'll be laying out of church again until the next wave comes along. I can't remember where I read it, but someone wrote that the problem with "catching the next wave" is that every wave ends up crashing into the shore.
No, I'm not impressed with the "wave riders," and I don't believe God is either. God's looking for a person of solid faith... one who models consistency day after day, week after week, month after month. Christian television has promoted this "wave rider" mentality as they are constantly parading the newest, hottest preacher or fade in front of us. The one with the latest vision or visitation. The one with the hottest new gimmick message. Strange how many of these people end up in a scandal of divorce, homosexuality, fraudulent handling of money...  kind of like a wave crashing into a shore.


Newsflash: The message is Jesus Christ... the cross, the blood and the resurrection. 
We don't need another revelation of heaven or hell to tell us something we don't know.
What we need to know is in "The Book."


OK...  part 2


The other thing that immediately came to mind when I read the quote: "Consider the postage stamp: its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there" is how many people in the church have a new mandate to do something for God every time you turn around. One week they are called to be the pastor's armor bearer. The next week they are called to work with the teenagers. Then they feel led to start this group... a month later it's something else.  Hello? These people portray our God as if He is schizophrenic or something.  God is not going to ask you to do something new when you have not fulfilled what He has already told you to do! Find that one thing that God (not you... not someone else... not the need) is calling you to do, and stick to it! Do it. Stay the course! Finish what you have started!  Personally, I have a theory that I have shared in my church before. Simply: If you are doing something that you are not truly called to do, then 2 errors are taking place: 1) You are not doing what YOU are called to do, and 2) You prevent someone else from being able to step up and do what they are called to do, because you are in the way.


I love that quote. We need to develop some "stick-to-it-ness" and finish what we've begun... and not begin anything until we know that it is God who has placed us there!

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