The End In Mind
Have you every experienced the helicopter mom? You know the lady that is always around her kids, protecting them from all things, including the mosquito that could suck the blood from her, pour little innocent child. Helicopter moms are crazy; they can’t leave their child alone, encouragement and empowerment are not in their vocabulary. If you have never seen this elusive and overbearing creature, the fact is, you may be that mom or your momma is.
But don’t worry even some of the disciples had helicopter moms. James and John, the sons of thunder (man I wish my brother and I were known as that), had a helicopter mom. In Matthew 20 we see momma thunder start to hover over Jesus.
Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. “What is your request?” he asked. She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.” (Matthew 20:20-21)
Check this out; it says “she knelt respectfully” a sign of worship. She humbled herself before the Lord giving him praise and authority but then (and there is a big but) she shares her motives. Place my two boys beside you in a place of honor. Make my family’s name famous, let us be as important as possible. She was seeking fame, her desires, she wanted something, and she did what she needed to. The reality is we do the same thing.
Act with the outlets He has provided and not the outcome in mind
Too often we ‘act’ like good Christians because we are seeking something else. We talk the talk and walk the walk so that we can have conversations with particular people that can do what we are seeking. Are you playing games? Acting certain ways around the particular company so that you belong, get to be a part, look good?
But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?” (Matthew 20:22)
Jesus responds with the reality; the honor is not what they thought. Jesus would be placed on a cross to die not honored. The honor that they were seeking was not one that would be coming.
We too struggle with this. We seek certain positions, jobs, activities and want them for ourselves. We look to the finish line and desire that for ourselves but we know not what it took to get there. A popular pastor and blogger Carey wrote about this issue within social media. Christian leaders are now looking to social media for a platform, seeking people's attention. But Carey Nieuwhof shares that a platform is not what they need to seek but the outlet. Let God do His work and if your outlet becomes a platform that is His will.
Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.
Too often we begin certain tasks, actions, activities, practices with the end in mind. If I do this, then I will receive that. But God is not calling us to plan with the end in mind; He is calling us to use what we have. To act with the outlets, He provides and let God determine the outcomes. What do you have that can be utilized? Don’t be tempted to look at others because God has uniquely designed you and has a unique plan for your life. Don’t try and be someone else because that person is already taken.
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