To Glorify His Name
Calling, gifting, vocation. These are words that get tossed around, especially in Christian circles, ad nauseam. They’re certainly important things to consider assuming that action is on the other end of the conversation.
I have to admit from the get-go – I struggle with inaction. It’s easy for me to talk at length about possibilities and problems, reason to or not to do things, only to have that same conversation another month down the road.
Here’s something I want to remind both of us with, we’re living in a story that’s advancing right now. The world is desperate for Jesus. And the hour is dark. There is no such thing as a perfect time to do anything. And if that’s what we’re looking for, well, we’ll likely be looking our whole lives.
Jesus, in His time here, came to serve and not to be served (Mark 10:45). He took action in service of others. I was reading a book the other day and the author stated the following: “The most basic question of human existence becomes ‘how can I bring glory to God?’’ (When People are Big and God is Small, 158).
This question challenged my worldview because you and I bringing glory to God has absolutely nothing to do with our external circumstances. We can be happy or sad, content or discontent, thriving or struggling, regardless of how we’re feeling we can bring glory to God.
To glorify something, according to a quick search, is to “express profound reverence or to reflect the greatness of a divine being.” To glorify God is to hold Him in the highest esteem in our minds, to submit under His greatness and authority, to worship Him, and to make Him known.
Any business book you read regarding starting a business or pursuing an idea will tell you that you need to have an extreme bias towards action. You’ll never know if the product or idea you have will be received by people until you try it. The business plan and the slide deck can be immaculately put together, but it doesn’t mean anything until you execute it and get it out there. The same is true for our walk with the Lord.
Now, I’m not talking about salvific realities, I’m talking about what we’re for and how we’re called to live as those who have put our faith in Jesus. Friend, here’s the reality, there are people who are perishing right now that do not know Jesus. And there are going to be people who perish tomorrow who also don’t know Him. We have a job to do.
We were never meant to be saved just to be saved. If you recall the parable of the talents in Matthew 25, one individual is given 10 talents and doubles that, the other is given five and doubles it, the last is given one and he hides it for fear of losing it. The first two are rewarded for their stewardship and the third has even his only talent taken away as punishment for his inaction.
What are you gifted with? What are your abilities and how can you use those to serve those practically in your circle of influence? Let me just say to both of us, you don’t need a master business plan to begin. You can be kind to the lady at the coffee stand and step out of your box to encourage her and tell her Jesus loves her. You can stop and have a conversation with that man who looks lonely at the lunch tables.
We’re called to bring glory to God now, today, don’t be surprised by the opportunities that come up the more you say yes. God has brought us from death to life, glorifying His Name – it’s the least we can do!
