DANNY’S DESK
Declare Jesus – Develop Disciples – Glorify God
“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Colossians 3:12 NLT
Hello!
Have you seen that ‘Easy Flowers’ advertisement on TV? You know, the one where the parents are in the car, ready to go camping and the kid is standing in the driveway with all his fishing gear waiting to get in the car and they drive off!? Then they stop, and you think they’ve remembered their son, but no, it’s Grandma’s birthday and they’ve forgotten that! Once they order the flowers – off they go! Kid forgotten again! It’s a little bit humourous, particularly if you’re a parent who – like me – has left a kid behind at some event or another!!!
But the question I keep asking myself every time I see this ad is: Who am I missing?
There is a story of a young man who literally bumped into another student in the corridor at school one day. As he apologised, he noticed that the other guy looked a bit detached and very sad. So, he didn’t just move on - he stopped and started talking to this bloke. To cut a long story short, they ended up sharing a meal together and it transpired that the young man was on his way, determined to take his own life that very afternoon. It’s crystal clear to see what would have happened if this God-ordained appointment had been approached as a ‘just a little bit too hard’. This young man, in such pain and suffering, would no longer be living.
I don’t want to make every encounter we have with someone else seem like a life-or-death moment because in many cases they simply aren’t that serious. (But then again, sometimes they are). When we make a choice to interact only with those we know, (and each one of us makes choices like that every day), that person sitting alone in the background misses out. “Love your neighbour as yourself.” (Galatians 5:14). Who is my neighbour? Anyone who is in need of my ministry of care, compassion, and love. Anyone.
One aspect of my role as a youth leader in the late 90’s and early 2000’s was to intentionally seek out the kids who were in the background – the ‘uncool’ (to others) kids; the ones who maybe weren’t so much into the games, etc, etc. And though it wasn’t as a result of just my input, one of those kids – with some significant health and family issues - eventually gave her life to Jesus and is now leading youth herself. All ‘we’ did, was to take time away from our mates and sow the seeds of the saving grace of Jesus Christ into her life.
Church fellowships take great pride in declaring how welcoming they are. And a lot of the time, they are indeed, just that – welcoming. But we cannot be complacent - we cannot be content with continually gravitating to the people we like, or the people we know. Why? Because when we do that…… we miss somebody! In 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Paul talks about the different parts of the body and in vv18-19 he says: “But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part!” That ‘body’ includes the confused, grumpy, detached, anxious, aloof, difficult, etc. People we wouldn’t normally spend time with. But make no mistake - we are called to be intentional in caring for those who sit on the fringes – in the background – whether we’ve known them for 10 years or 10 minutes!!!
So for me, the question isn’t ‘who am I catching up with?’ The question I, (and each one of us) really need to ask ourselves in our rush to connect with those we like - or those I have a natural affinity with is:
‘Who am I missing?’
Have a great week!
Danny ... See MoreSee Less
“She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.”
Proverbs 31:25-26 ... See MoreSee Less
DANNY’S DESK
Declare Jesus – Develop Disciples – Glorify God
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” 1 John 5:14-15 NLT
Hello!
I was walking past Torquay College last week on my way home to have some lunch recently. There were heaps of kids running around in the playground, and many of them were playing in the bush kitchen, moving around sticks and branches; shifting rocks from here to there and building basic cubby houses. It took me back to my primary school days, (cue school PA booming out): “Would Danny McDowell and his mates get out of that tree…. right now!!!” Good times! (For the record – that tree is still standing!) The point is that we (and the Torquay College kids) loved using the basics they had around them - trees, sticks, rocks, etc. And we used what we had… and that’s all we really needed!
Sometimes there’s a lot of ‘other’ stuff that gets in the way as I seek to follow Jesus, and it can be very easy to ‘put aside’ the basics. When I start to find life getting just a bit too complex or complicated; or I’m getting a bit too tired or stressed, I ‘go back’ – and I grab hold of the basics. God loves me so much that:
• I have a relationship with Him because I am saved by His wonderful grace. I don’t deserve it, but through love, He has extended it to me. ‘God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.’ (Ephesians 2: 8-9).
• He organised my personal salvation through the birth, death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus. Acts 4: 12 tells us: “There is salvation in no one else! (Jesus). God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” So when I accepted Jesus as my Lord & Saviour I am saved!
• He has provided me with His Word – the Bible – in which and through which – I can navigate life. The answers are all there! ‘The word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.’ (Hebrews 4:12)
• I can be intricately connected to Him in every aspect of my life as I enter into regular prayerful conversation with Him - as together- we discern a path forward.
• He places me in situations and scenarios where I have the opportunity to share with others the way that He has changed my life for the better and how they too, can experience the same.
Remember the basics! It was never God’s intention for it to be complicated!
Have a great week!
Danny ... See MoreSee Less
