I'm kind of a bad student.
Okay, I'll be honest: I'm a terrible student. I say that not because I can't understand the material, or that I get overwhelmed, it's because I'm unfocused and lazy. This semester I told myself that I would come back to school and absolutely destroy any test, quiz, or homework that would have the testicular fortitude to stand in my way.
For two of my classes, the quizzes are all posted online at the beginning of the semester. Like most college students, I start out very strong and slowly slide into laziness throughout the semester, so I decided to get a few weeks ahead on my quizzes while I'm still motivated.
I spent hours pouring over commentaries, textbooks on Paul's life and theology, and quiz sheets, and eventually got 5 weeks ahead. Being the procrastinator that I am, I have to say that I had not felt so accomplished in a long, long time. I felt good. In fact, I was thinking in my head that there is nothing else that I could do to be any more caught up on my work when I realized-
When is the last time I read my Bible?
For the past 2 weeks I had gotten into the hype of going back to a Christian college and reading commentaries and having silly theological debates with my friends here, that I forgot about the Word of God.
Desperately I started flipping through my Bible, looking for some kind of teaching to make me feel better, when I came by the beginning of 2 Corinthians. And I figured out my problem. I had let the image of being a Youth Minister in training be my motivation and reason for my work. My passion and love for Christ, people, the Bible, all managed by this image I had in my head.
What motivates your love?
The question reminds me of a time I was at work. I work at a Family Fun Center. It's an arcade, go-karts, mini-golf, batting cages, the whole nine yards. I was working at the prize counter, helping a little girl and her grandma pick out some toys for the road. The grandma asked if I go to school, and I told her I was training in Youth Ministry/Preaching. She smiled and nodded her head and said, "Oh, okay. Well that's good. I think it's important that young people have some sort of religion. It doesn't matter what it is, but as long as it teaches good morals, I'm glad it's there."
A problem that the Church at large is encountering, particularly in America and Eastern European countries, is a lack of urgency. We have to realize the importance of what we've been called to do. There isn't a more important job. If your job is to save people's lives, it still pales in comparison to the importance of a messenger of Christ.
Do not make the sad and deadly mistake of thinking that doing good things for people-like feeding the hungry, giving time and money to charities, and loving people is enough to make you a Christian or send you to heaven. It's self gratifying to think that without having to tell people about Christ that you are a "good Christian."
Do those things!!! But do them in the name of Christ. If Christ isn't in it, if His message isn't spread in the process, than we're only making a fraction of eternity more comfortable and ignoring the real potential problem. Don't get me wrong, it's okay to be nice and loving just for the sake of being nice and loving, but our mission is clear. Christ is at the center, not ourselves or anyone else. Love people because Christ first loved us. Then tell them about that love.
As Church leaders: We must encourage and act with urgency in our ministries. We have to make it clear that this is more important than anything else in anyone's life. Because it's not about us, it's about Christ.
2 Corinthians 2:15-17
(15) For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. (16) To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, and aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? (17) Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.
