Making Life Count
You know I don’t know about anybody else but the issue of whether or not I waste my life is always before me. Every since I became a Christian it has been so much more. Now I was just listening to a sermon by John Piper of DesiringGod.org on a passage in Romans and he said something every remarkable in my view and that I just wanted us to consider together.
I believe it is worth considering for anybody who wants to ensure that their life counts for what really counts! You know your life can count for many things. I was watching, well really I was just walking by the TV quickly and happened to glimpse Disney Channel and saw this little white boy talking about how he collects Pez as a hobby. Pez are some little plastic candy dispensers with different head designs. The head comes off to let give you the sweet – apparently, according to him they were some big craze, and I guess they were at some point.
My point about that poor little boy is that he seemed to think, and was confident enough as well to try and convince the world that he was doing something meaningful with his life. Now that youth has a right to collect his trash, because that’s all it really is, but I think that that is an absolute waste of his evidently fine sense of discipline and dedication to task. What will he do with those piles a plastic at the end of life? What is so unique about spending hours and hours, and so much money on collecting something that is in no way unique, is easily destroyable and which the manufacturers can at he demand of any paying costumer develop? If that youth dies with his room full of squeaky clean, well labeled and ordered plastic candy containers – and that was all he left, having been given so much talent, skill and opportunity (even to end up on Disney Channel) he would in my view have wasted his life.
So let me share what I wanted to share…and you can apply it however – wherever I failed to:
“There are only two great concerns in the world. One is the concern that God be properly displayed in the universe and the other is the concern that you and I find everlasting joy in him. These are the two concerns of the universe; the display of the Glory of God and everlasting contentment in him…You might think that the scandal of the White House is a big issue (well) Henry the VIII makes Bill Clinton look like a Puritan, and he is off the screen. A blip! Who remembers Henry the VIII? Who cares about Henry the VIII? Genghis Khan makes the bombing of the embassies and the reprisals look like a recess tussle - whole peoples (were) wiped off the scene in Central Asia and who in this room can tell me what century Genghis Khan lived in, let alone anything about his life?! He does not matter, he is a goner. These are not the big issues and those are not the big people. The big issues are the display of God and what becomes of us in eternity” (Inserts mine)
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Andrew Wildes
This article was written by Andrew Wildes and added
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Andrew Wildes says... Andrew Wildes has a passion to see radically God-centered yutes be raised up all across Jamaica and the world, to shake the foundations of their generation for God. He is a director of Fiwivoice.com.
May 19th, 2008 at 8:43 am
Andrew, I have seriously been thinking about this too. Its likely that 100 yrs from now- if so long- no one will remember, but what can I do on this earth of lasting value?I decided to put all my greatest efforts to ministry.In high school ppl told me I was wasting my talent, bc i danced only for God, rather than for my school, or a renown dance company. Ppl told me over and over again, that I have no proof of my various abilities-no great trophies, no great natioal awards. I gave it great thought, however, this whole what’s my life gonna do of worth hit me. I decided to dedicate all my planning abilities, talents, and anything having to do with me to win souls, and to encourage and strengthen the body of Christ. I may not be remembered long zfter I’m gone, but my decision to serve God in this area, may cause a household to be saved, a clique of friends, someone anyone……. This is a really good article Andrew, I think more ppl should really think about what they are doing.
May 19th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Amen Andrew, Georgia. Be encouraged and continue the work God has called you to, because the work that God commissions through his people is the only thing of any true lasting value. Don’t need trophies, certificates etc to prove that. The mere fact that Christ is known to so many people today, world-wide, is proof of the work of those before us, who were obedient to God and who made their lives count for something!
Thanks for sharing your insight fam
May 19th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Georgia, the word of God says “lay up in store for yourself, treasures in heaven.” your ministry is a store in heaven for yourself, don’t stress it when sinners intice you, consent them not… Keep it up! Hopefully you could come to Trinidad and Minister at my church in Dance… you know after reading this article i released how much, i myself put a little to much emphasis on things that can never leave a mark on eternity… I really enjoyed reading your article Andrew.. Bless!