Philippians 3:2-6
Steer clear of the barking dogs, those religious busybodies, all bark and no bite. All they're interested in is appearances—knife-happy circumcisers, I call them. The real believers are the ones the Spirit of God leads to work away at this ministry, filling the air with Christ's praise as we do it. We couldn't carry this off by our own efforts, and we know it—even though we can list what many might think are impressive credentials. You know my pedigree: a legitimate birth, circumcised on the eighth day; an Israelite from the elite tribe of Benjamin; a strict and devout adherent to God's law; a fiery defender of the purity of my religion, even to the point of persecuting the church; a meticulous observer of everything set down in God's law Book.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Do you know the difference between an obituary and a eulogy? The obituary is what is read at funerals and posted in newspapers and on websites… “Paul worked for AmTrak for 30 years. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Anytown, USA, and served as church treasurer for a number of years. He belonged to the Anytown Noon Rotary Club, coached Little League baseball, and volunteered for the Red Cross. Paul graduated from Anytown High School in 1962, and received a B.A. in Business from Stanford in 1966. He is survived by his wife, Sue, and his two daughters, Ann and Mary.”
The eulogy tells the real tale. Often read or delivered by a close friend or relative, the eulogy tells about Paul’s daily living… what he enjoyed, who his friends were… and gives us a better insight to the man’s true character. The obituary gave us Paul’s “credentials,” but the eulogy gives us the real story about His ministry and lasting impact on this earth. While both are important, what is revealed about a person in his/her eulogy is usually far more significant in the scheme of things than the pedigree outlined in the obituary.
This is how we should view our life as a Christian. What we have accomplished… where we came from… what organizations we serve, our family members and friends - and even which church we attend - are all important. These things do help define us. But who we are as Disciples of Christ is what really matters. If we belong to every civic organization in town and serve in a “high-level” position within our church structure… yet fail to acknowledge and address the everyday needs of those who live and work alongside us… we are just another “barking dog or busybody.”
It doesn’t matter if you have sung in the youth choirs since preschool and done local mission work on Saturdays with your friends. If you didn’t genuinely care about those to whom you sang or ministered - or worse yet, you felt this gave you extra “clout” with God or your peers - you missed the mark. Sure, the work got done. But God cares about your heart while you are serving! Consider it the equivalent of stopping by to visit someone who isn’t at home. You leave a business card or note and say, “Well, I tried,” and never return. Exactly how interested were you in visiting in the first place?
Serving God is not about accumulating credentials or garnering more accomplishments for your obituary. Genuinely serving God with your whole heart is about just that… serving GOD – with your whole heart… praising Him the entire way, and not caring who notices. This is how you truly minister!
When your earthly life is over, do you want to have an impressive obituary… or an amazing eulogy? Neither is truly important to God on its own merits… but the person behind them matters greatly. What other people say or think about you really doesn’t count… but it DOES make a difference what God thinks! In what context will God know you? Are you all bark and no bite?
©2012 Debbie Robus
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