I'm currently reading a novel titled, 'Do Hard Things', written by two sixteen-year old twin brothers who have a heart for encouraging people, and teens especially, around the world to overcome the low expectations in the American culture and step up to answer the true call of someone who claims to follow Christ. Though it is a book meant for those between the ages of thirteen and nineteen, the lessons that can be taken are for every age and have been incredibly inspiring to me this summer.
My favorite point I've read about so far is to be known for what you do rather than for what you don't. Many Christians avoid lifestyles labeled as 'wrong' in order to be seen as 'the good kids' who never seemingly do anything worth being looked down upon. Perhaps you can relate to this. Perhaps you're someone who doesn't attend wild parties, wears a promise ring your dad gave you on your thirteenth birthday, and doesn't cause trouble. Maybe you're someone who makes sure to not miss a single church Sunday, or perhaps you're a parent who finds satisfaction in the fact that your children don't do drugs or drink every weekend. Often we label ourselves as exceptional for what we don't do, but what about the actions we do? Is the Christian life all about avoiding the bad, or could it possibly be about doing good-even the hard-things for the name of Jesus?
It should never be good enough for us to be content with what we don't do, because for one, no one is perfect. We all mess up, and though we want to strive for victory over sin, we cannot forget that we are all still in need of grace. Second, when we become content with our present situation, we create a culture of mediocrity that infiltrates homes, churches, and our society.
As the Church-the unified body of Christ-we should not be known for the bad that we don't do, but rather we should be known for the good that we actively seek to do. When our focus is on how to only eliminate sin, we create people who are legalistic, and we become a body that points fingers and judges hearts. We become known for what we are against rather than what-and who-we are for. Grace is lost when judgement takes its place.
Scripture tells us to not only strive to avoid sin but to go further and take one more step and do things of the Lord. God's Word is clear:
'Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers. But his delight in in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night'. -Psalm 1:1
It seems like many Christians strive to keep up with the don'ts while completely overlooking the do's. Charles Spurgeon says, 'Perhaps some of you can claim a sort of negative purity, because you do not walk in the way of the ungodly, but let me ask you-is your delight in the law of God? Do you study God's Word? Do you make it the man of your right hand-your best companion and hourly guide? If not, the blessing of Psalm 1 does not belong to you'.
Jesus didn't simply go around correcting the bad in people. Instead, He sought to bring the goodness of God to every person He interacted with. We aren't called to just avoid sin. We're supposed to pursue righteousness in a way that others will want to imitate. The love of Christ is what draws believers together and what draws non-believers to Him.
Loving isn't always easy-in fact, it's more often challenging than not. Sometimes to love is to overstep social expectations, speaking up when necessary, being bold in faith, or taking actions that have the potential to grow you.
I'm reminded of something my cross-country coach repeated to me time and time again: 'Cross-country is hard. If it were easy, then everyone would do it, but that's what makes it so unique. That's what makes it so great. Not everyone does it-but you do, and you've got to keep going strong'.
Loving as Jesus did is hard, but if it were easy, then it wouldn't be so beautifully outstanding. It might mean addressing the elephant in the room. It might mean pursuing excellence to put an end to complacency. It might mean climbing that mountain in your life, but just think of all of the growth that happens throughout the journey. To love is to do hard things, but it's more than worth it.
As the Church-the unified body of Christ-we should not be known for the bad that we don't do, but rather we should be known for the good that we actively seek to do. When our focus is on how to only eliminate sin, we create people who are legalistic, and we become a body that points fingers and judges hearts. We become known for what we are against rather than what-and who-we are for. Grace is lost when judgement takes its place.
Scripture tells us to not only strive to avoid sin but to go further and take one more step and do things of the Lord. God's Word is clear:
'Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers. But his delight in in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night'. -Psalm 1:1
It seems like many Christians strive to keep up with the don'ts while completely overlooking the do's. Charles Spurgeon says, 'Perhaps some of you can claim a sort of negative purity, because you do not walk in the way of the ungodly, but let me ask you-is your delight in the law of God? Do you study God's Word? Do you make it the man of your right hand-your best companion and hourly guide? If not, the blessing of Psalm 1 does not belong to you'.
Jesus didn't simply go around correcting the bad in people. Instead, He sought to bring the goodness of God to every person He interacted with. We aren't called to just avoid sin. We're supposed to pursue righteousness in a way that others will want to imitate. The love of Christ is what draws believers together and what draws non-believers to Him.
Loving isn't always easy-in fact, it's more often challenging than not. Sometimes to love is to overstep social expectations, speaking up when necessary, being bold in faith, or taking actions that have the potential to grow you.
I'm reminded of something my cross-country coach repeated to me time and time again: 'Cross-country is hard. If it were easy, then everyone would do it, but that's what makes it so unique. That's what makes it so great. Not everyone does it-but you do, and you've got to keep going strong'.
Loving as Jesus did is hard, but if it were easy, then it wouldn't be so beautifully outstanding. It might mean addressing the elephant in the room. It might mean pursuing excellence to put an end to complacency. It might mean climbing that mountain in your life, but just think of all of the growth that happens throughout the journey. To love is to do hard things, but it's more than worth it.
