Some of you might be surprised that I’m a camera hog in many ways. I just like the camera. I enjoy seeing my name in places. When I went to this wedding and I saw the list of bridesmaids and groomsmen and saw my name among the list of groomsmen, I smiled. I was pleased to be recognized as a part of this event. I also liked being announced at the reception.
I think that part of it is making the mark. Some of us like to leave some reminder that we were somewhere. We want people to remember us when we’re away. No one wants to be a “remember him?” Everyone would really like to have left the world a better place. The saying has been attributed to Ronald Reagan of “When you were born, you cried, and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a way so that when you die, the world cries, and you rejoice.”
I think many of us grow up with that dream. I know I definitely did. I wanted to do something great for the world. There is no place in my heart for the common life which we all seem to live. We all seem to go through life as if our only purpose is to make money so we can pay the bills and continue the human race down to the next generation.
Isn’t there something in us that yearns for more though? For those of us who are Christians, don’t we look at the world at times and think that there’s something dreadfully wrong? We know God is in control, but we also know that the world is not the way that he intended and that he has called on us to make it better.
Part of us at that point seems to think that we can’t do much. Why do we let that happen? Why do we let the world cower us? Especially since we are followers of the one who overcame the world? Do we not believe him when he says that greater is he who is in us than he who is in the world?
Yes. We can. There is that drive in us. We need men and women to stand up today and do great things. You think you’re small? You’re not. Go look at many of the video games and movies and TV shows today and the literature in fiction. Who is it that is often chosen? It is the ones the rest of the world most often looks over? Isn’t this the same in 1 Cor. 1? The foolish shame the wise? The weak shame the strong? It’s not saying that foolishness and weakness are good things but that those the world gives those titles to are the ones that end up shaming them.
Also, remember that you’re not alone. You do have Christ of course, but you will also have friends on the journey. If friends would team up more and work together for the cause of Christ, they could do more to change the world. We don’t really see our potential in our friends’ lives enough though.
This is where preaching the gospel to ourselves comes in handy. Once we do it to ourselves, we can better convey it to the world. The world needs to hear it. The world is counting on you also. God didn’t give this ministry to angels. He gave it to people and that includes you and I.
Tonight, I suggest you rekindle that fire. Go out there. Change the world. Make a difference. Let it be that you get to Heaven with an awesome crown. Who wants to walk across the gates in shame? No. Walk across knowing that you made an eternal difference and then get set to hear “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”
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