In 2009!

Is it just me or was 2008 a blur?

It will be no time till we’ll be looking back at 2009. What will the image in the rearview look like?

I want to talk to my preaching friends for a moment but I hope the rest of you will listen in and make application to your post in life.

I tire of preachers complaining about their situation and then moving only to complain about the next, at first, wonderful work, they’ve gone to.

Listen guys: You can sit back and moan. You can complain about your situation, the economy, your leaders, how you’ve been treated or talked to or done...or you can make it happen. You can poor mouth all you want. You can jump from minimal work to minimal work always “gazing to graze” where the grass is greener. Or you can get busy! You can serve where you are. You can live big there! Remembering our God is great and sovereign, that He sees all and can use the small for great for His purposes.

Have I got your attention, good let’s go further:

Someday you are going to be gone. You’ll leave for another job, you’ll be downsized, your contract won’t be renewed, you’ll die - You’re going away. And in the grand scheme of things it won’t be long. Even a long-termer is really a short-termer.

I’ll tell you something else, when you are gone “they” are going to talk about you. Call it gossip, reminiscing or pick your own word, but they are going to.

I learned this by watching and listening. Among the many mistakes I’ve made was trying to follow several legends. Two of them preached for the same church - one had been there for nearly 18 wonderful years and the other had been there for about six. There was a guy between the two. In researching some history for publication I asked about the guy between the two legends. Four grown men debated 30 minutes ... about his name! Nobody could even remember what his work had been like. Except that it had obviously been...unremarkable.

Yes, they’re gonna talk.

So, what are they going to say? How will your brief stay where you are be remembered? What will they say? “Not much happened while he was here.” “Things just sort of went along.” “All we did was fight.” “The reputation of the Lord’s church is better in our community because he and his family were here.” “We didn’t do anything.” Or worst, “I really don’t remember much about when he was here. Wasn’t he that guy between Brother ___ and Brother _____?” “There was sunshine in the room when he was here.” “He brought laughter with him.” “He was a sad sack.” “We still haven’t recovered from all the junk he stirred up.” “We moved further away from being God’s church.” “I became more like God during his stay.” “It was easier to do right when he was around.” “That’s when we started...” “We did so much I looked forward to just being there to see what would happen next.” “Nothing much.”

Brothers, do something. Start living, begin the study with your grocer, implement that program, take the risk, challenge the people to act on faith (and you do to), start something good. Use the creative energies the Lord gave us all, after all you were made in His image and He is nothing if not creative. Make this the year.

Do something, make something happen...work harder, think more creatively, work less, pray more, spent time with those you love, praise more, dream more, do more, plan more, complain (whine, the world needs a whole lot fewer babies) less.

Your time is limited and you will be remembered - do something!