Arrogant II
Continuing thoughts from the final session at YS this year: Marko commented how many youth workers write him saying they feel called to speak professionally and travel around. It made me sad that we can so easily get caught up in the glory of all things big.
It's not that I think these people are wrong or shouldn't want to share their gifts, I just wonder if aspiring to be big is as beneficial as aspiring to be fulfilled. Let me explain. I have no doubt there are many men and women that God has called into full time speaking careers. As a youth worker, I will be forever indebted to these people. But to the rest of us, I believe that we may be running from what God has put right in front of us. I think we've embraced the western attitude of keep climbing the ladder so fully that we easily look past the ministries God has given us. I have done that more times than I'd like to admit.
It's not the big moments or big crowds or special honors that I remember most fondly. It's those times when my boys in Nowthen would pop in just to hang out in our basement. It's those times when Luke in Alabama would call at 8:30 on a Saturday morning asking when I would pick him up to go hiking. You can't beat cramming 26 people into one very small flat just to eat and chill or the conversations with a kid that no one had time for but was desperate for hope and a Saviour, he just needed to be introduced.
These moments haven't been in within the framework of "big time" events, they've come within the context of ministry in my local church. Right where I'm supposed to be. And right where I think more of us should be thrilled to be. Instead of reaching higher for something bigger and better, I would love to sit down with other youth workers who can get excited about the challenges God has for them in their specific seeting. Maybe the church isn't treating us so well, maybe it's hard and the kids don't care and maybe that's exactly why He's placed us there. Maybe we'd be better off digging in our heels and asking God to move that mountain than seeking to live on some mountain top of glory.
I experienced some bigness the past couple of weeks. I've only been home 3 out of I think the past 15 days and that's plenty. I'm not cut out to be world famous. Though I was less than an hour and a half away from the wife and kid the past 3 days, it felt like an eterninty. Those camp kids were a blast. I am honored to have been asked to speak, I just don't know that it's who I want to be all the time.
I think I'm in a pretty great situation. I'm all the way across the world on a small peninsula just across from Mainland China. If I were to aspire to great speaking heights, there would be nowhere to go. It's great to be small and I'm happy to stay small.
I know Marko doesn't read this, but to him, I'd like to say, "I don't feel called to be a professional speaker or anything else particularly big." Thanks for the inspiration.
It's not that I think these people are wrong or shouldn't want to share their gifts, I just wonder if aspiring to be big is as beneficial as aspiring to be fulfilled. Let me explain. I have no doubt there are many men and women that God has called into full time speaking careers. As a youth worker, I will be forever indebted to these people. But to the rest of us, I believe that we may be running from what God has put right in front of us. I think we've embraced the western attitude of keep climbing the ladder so fully that we easily look past the ministries God has given us. I have done that more times than I'd like to admit.
It's not the big moments or big crowds or special honors that I remember most fondly. It's those times when my boys in Nowthen would pop in just to hang out in our basement. It's those times when Luke in Alabama would call at 8:30 on a Saturday morning asking when I would pick him up to go hiking. You can't beat cramming 26 people into one very small flat just to eat and chill or the conversations with a kid that no one had time for but was desperate for hope and a Saviour, he just needed to be introduced.
These moments haven't been in within the framework of "big time" events, they've come within the context of ministry in my local church. Right where I'm supposed to be. And right where I think more of us should be thrilled to be. Instead of reaching higher for something bigger and better, I would love to sit down with other youth workers who can get excited about the challenges God has for them in their specific seeting. Maybe the church isn't treating us so well, maybe it's hard and the kids don't care and maybe that's exactly why He's placed us there. Maybe we'd be better off digging in our heels and asking God to move that mountain than seeking to live on some mountain top of glory.
I experienced some bigness the past couple of weeks. I've only been home 3 out of I think the past 15 days and that's plenty. I'm not cut out to be world famous. Though I was less than an hour and a half away from the wife and kid the past 3 days, it felt like an eterninty. Those camp kids were a blast. I am honored to have been asked to speak, I just don't know that it's who I want to be all the time.
I think I'm in a pretty great situation. I'm all the way across the world on a small peninsula just across from Mainland China. If I were to aspire to great speaking heights, there would be nowhere to go. It's great to be small and I'm happy to stay small.
I know Marko doesn't read this, but to him, I'd like to say, "I don't feel called to be a professional speaker or anything else particularly big." Thanks for the inspiration.
Labels: YS Anaheim
posted by Mike at 2:54 PM
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