A few years ago, I had the amazing privilege of traveling to Uganda with a team from America World Adoption. We spent about a week there teaching and loving on precious children, most of them being orphans. It would take more than one blog post to share all that I learned from that trip, but this week, I want to share with you one of the things that God taught me that has remained with me and become part of my heart.

I didn’t have to be in Uganda very long to become overwhelmed by the great need that exists there. I could list facts and statistics for you, but the truth is, those numbers will never grip your heart in the way that looking into the eyes of an orphan with HIV will. There’s something about being there, face to face with tangible humanity, that cannot be expressed in figures and percentages. When both of my hands were holding on to the hands of little ones who have experienced more heartache and loss in their short, young lives than can be imagined, and I looked around me only to see so many more just like them, I began to understand what being ‘moved with compassion’ means.

As I returned to our living quarters after spending a day working with these precious children, sensing the great need and my inability to even make a dent in it, I opened my Bible and read this passage.

“Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat.’ But Jesus said,  ‘You feed them.‘ ‘With what?’ they asked. ‘We’d have to work for months to earn enough money to buy food for all these people!’ ‘How much bread do you have?‘ he asked. ‘Go and find out.‘ They came back and reported, ‘We have five loaves of bread and two fish.’ Then Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of fifty or a hundred. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. He also divided the fish for everyone to share. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish. A total of 5,000 men and their families were fed.”  Mark 6:34-44 (NLT)

This was a special moment for me because I was approaching this passage with a new understanding of what it means to be completely surrounded and overwhelmed by the needs of others. Walk with me through this passage as I share with you what our Father taught me that evening in Uganda.

1) Jesus is compassionate.
He sees people in their need, and He has compassion for them. Their needs, both physical and spiritual, are not unnoticed by Him. He doesn’t just see their needs, but His compassion moves Him to intervene. Notice, though, that His compassion first moved Him to teach them many things. That was where He started – with their spiritual needs. 

2) The disciples were compassionate.
True disciples of Jesus are also aware of the needs of others. They don’t turn a blind eye. They also feel compassion and long to see these needs met. They know Who to go to for help. Notice here though, in direct contrast with Jesus, their focus was not on the spiritual needs, but on the physical needs. Sometimes, we become so overwhelmed by physical needs that we forget that a person’s most desperate need is spiritual.

3) Jesus said, “You feed them.”
What?! Can you just imagine the disciples’ faces and their reactions? I wish I could have been there to see it! Jesus was asking them to do the impossible. They were face to face with a massive need, they had turned to Him for help, and He shocked them with three simple words. You. Feed. Them. It was a call to action. He was tasking them with something they could not possibly do on their own. But you see, He wasn’t asking them to do it on their own. Let’s keep reading.

4) Jesus asked them to identify what they had and give it to Him.
What do you have? Go and find out. Jesus was asking them to take an inventory. You don’t even begin to have enough to meet this great need, but what DO you have? Are you willing to give that? Will you take what is enough for you and be willing to give it up for the sake of others and their needs? Will you trust Jesus with what you have, believing that He can still take care of you too? Will you subtract so that He can multiply?

5) Jesus took what little they had to offer and multiplied it.
This is the greatest part. He took their meager loaves and fish and blessed them. Then, the miraculous happened. That little bit of food multiplied and met the massive need. It didn’t just barely meet the need. It exceeded the need. Everyone ate as much as they wanted, and there were leftovers – a lot of leftovers! Incredible, right? 

Here’s the truth – God can meet needs, both spiritual and physical needs, without our help. He is so much more powerful than we can even imagine. Many times, though, He chooses to use us to help. I am still filled with wonder over that. What He asks from us is that we give what we have, even if it doesn’t seem like much. Have you ever felt that way? “Lord, what I have is so small, and the need is so far greater.” That is the best place to be! That is the perfect place to watch what God can do. When we say in that moment, “Lord, I don’t have much at all, but You can have it. Take these loaves and fish that I’m offering to You and use them as You will. I am willing to give what I have,” I believe that is a fragrant offering of worship to Him. He takes our little loaves and fish, He blesses them, and then He multiplies them.

This isn’t just true in a place like Uganda or on a hillside with 5,000 men and their families. This is true in the mundane, everyday-ness of our walk with God. 

“Lord, this person I love doesn’t know You. I can’t open their eyes to see their spiritual need. But I am bringing You my loaves and fish – my testimony, sharing the things You’ve done in my life, explaining the Gospel in the best way I know, talking about what I learned in church this week. I’m willing to subtract. Will You please multiply? Please use what little I have for Your purposes and Your glory.”

“Lord, that family that just lost everything in a fire is in great need. I can’t replace their home, their possessions, or their peace. But I am bringing You my loaves and fish – my $25, my extra groceries, my prayers, my time. I’m willing to subtract. Will You please multiply? Use what little I have for Your purposes and Your glory.” 

“Lord, my church needs nursery workers. I can’t care for all the children every week, but I’m bringing You my loaves and fish – a few hours of my time once a month. I’m willing to subtract. Will You please multiply and use what I’m giving for Your purposes and Your glory?”

Are you starting to see what I saw that night in Uganda? I should have warned you – it will change you. It changed me. I still see needs all around me, and many times, I hear gentle words whispered to my heart, “You feed them.” I’m learning to identify what I have, surrender it to my Savior, and then watch to see what He can do. I’m so grateful that sometimes He lets me be part of what He’s doing in the lives of others. What an undeserved privilege that is!

Father, I pray that as we walk with You this week, You will open our eyes to the needs around us. Help us to be compassionate, and help us to ask You for Your help when we see others in need. As You speak to our hearts, show us what we have that You can use, even if it seems small and insignificant to us. As we willingly give You what we have to offer, will You please bless it and multiply it to meet needs and to demonstrate Your love and power? Thank You for choosing to use us. We know that You don’t need us to meet the need, but in Your love and mercy, You let us be part of what You are doing. Let this become the habit of our lives – giving You our loaves and fish. Amen.

-Dana

Last week I found what I had been looking for – a framed photo of light shining into a forest. I had discovered a similar piece while we were on vacation in August, 2017, and purchased it, planning to hang it in my new office. But the office completion was delayed, and before I could get the picture there, it found its way onto my bedroom wall. I love waking up and seeing the sunlight pouring through the trees, making the grass of the forest floor such a vibrant green. Last week, back at Tahquamenon Falls in the upper peninsula of Michigan, I was able to find something similar for my office. They had many beautiful scenes available, but I kept going back to the ones featuring the sun breaking through.

Life can seem pretty dark at times. Sometimes a pitch black of grief, despair, or depression, like when they turn all the lights off in Ohio Caverns and you can’t see your hand in front of your face. Sometimes dark and foggy confusion that keeps you searching for landmarks, slows you down, and stresses you out. Sometimes overcast and gloomy, like a heavy mood or anger. Sometimes there is a shadowy darkness of evil, sinister and almost palpable.

There is something so beautiful and alive and comforting about light, especially sunlight. And there is something like sunlight that shines into our lives and lifts us out of dark places. I’m sure you’ve had those moments, where you sense the warmth and the glow of light entering your soul.

Wouldn’t it be great to have that energy present all the time? To live in the light and never have to deal with darkness?

Check out God’s message to His people written by Isaiah:

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:

to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke,

to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?

Is it not to share your food with the hungry

and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-

When you see the naked, to clothe them,

And not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Then your light will break forth like the dawn,

And your healing will quickly appear;

Then your righteousness will go before you,

And the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;

You will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

If you do away with the yoke of oppression,

With the pointing finger and malicious talk,

And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry

And satisfy the needs of the oppressed,

Then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.

The Lord will guide you always;

He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.

You will be like a well-watered garden,

Like a spring whose waters never fail.” Isaiah 58:6-11

There are many instances in the Bible when we are told that God is light, and to be close to God is to be in the light. What I love about these words from Isaiah is that we are given some insight into things we can do that will result in more light in our lives. While the actions listed vary in scope, encompassing work towards ending oppression, feeding the hungry, providing clothing, and even being present and available to your family, they all involve focusing on others with the intention to meet their needs. When we need light the most, when we are hurting, struggling, stressed, angry, confused, we get relief and healing by serving others. This really works!

I remember Sheila Cupples, who had been fighting cancer and dealing with the side effects of cancer treatments for years. She started her own campaign which she called “Find A Bigger Problem,” encouraging people to stop looking at what they were going through and find a way to help someone else who was suffering. Specifically, she invested herself in helping women in Nigeria who needed treatment for HIV/AIDS. Serving others turned on a light for her that carried her through her cancer journey with a grace that was inspiring, and she was intentional about sharing this “secret” with everyone she could, so they could find a way to reach outside themselves, serve others, and feel the same light.

One winter Wednesday a few years ago, Becky McClelland met me at her door when I stopped to pick up her grandson. She smiled and handed me a package – roasted cinnamon sugar nuts that she had made that day. In the middle of chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer, she had taken time and energy to make something to give. I can only assume that besides the way that touched me, the making and the giving brought Becky some light in a dark time.

Maybe you find yourself in darkness right now, anywhere from cranky to nearly immobilized by something that seems too heavy to bear. Maybe not, but if not, you can be sure the time is coming-it is part of life. Join me in committing to fight against your darkness by reaching out. Make a list of ways you can do that. Maybe even use Isaiah’s words as a template.

Loose chains of injustice-sponsor a child and write them a letter, spend some time learning about a social issue and pick some way you can work for change https://ourmissionispossible.org/

Set the oppressed free, break every yoke-volunteer at a drug rehab program or for an organization fighting human trafficking

Share your food with the hungry, spend yourself on behalf of the hungry-donate food and/or time to a local food pantry or make a meal to take to someone who is sick

Provide shelter for the poor wanderer-help out at a homeless shelter, check out what Habitat for Humanity is doing near you and join in

When you see the naked, clothe them-ask a teacher you know if there is a child that needs a hoodie or a coat, and buy it

Be available to your own family-play a card game, plan a family dinner, write a note of encouragement, put down your phone

Stop pointing your finger and stop malicious talk-this speaks for itself (ouch!)

Meet the needs of the oppressed-visit at a nursing home, mentor a younger person, go on a service trip https://be2live.org/

You make your own list. Don’t be held back by thinking these things are too big; it’s OK to start small. But start. And continue. Watch for the light breaking through your personal darkness and illuminating the darkness of others. Feel the healing and strength and energy.

Jesus, thanks that You are light. Because of You, I don’t have to live in darkness. Still there are dark moments and days in my life. Please give me the strength to recognize the darkness and use it as a reminder to reach out rather than retreat. Bless and multiply my efforts to serve others, and bring light to others through me. I pray for each person reading this, that they will see You and Your light, that they will know that the You are stronger than any darkness, that they will open up and give, especially when they find themselves in a dark place.

“Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord.” Psalm 89:15

-Leah

The year was 1873. Horatio Spafford put his wife, Anna, and his four daughters (11 year-old Annie, 9 year-old Maggie, 7 year-old Bessie, and almost 2 year-old Tanetta) on a ship headed to France. His wife’s health had begun to fail, and he thought a sabbatical in Europe would do them all some good. You see, two years earlier, Horatio and his family had suffered significant financial loss in the wake of the Great Chicago Fire. His office and most everything in it had burned to the ground, but there was comfort in the fact that he, his wife, and his four daughters had survived. Their worldly wealth had diminished, but they had escaped with what mattered most. Horatio had some business to attend to and couldn’t make the trip with his family. His plan was to stay until a land sale was completed and then join his family in France. As it happened, the man who was to buy his land suffered a massive heart attack and died before the transaction could be completed. So, disappointed, but looking forward to his trip, Horatio waited for news of his family’s safe arrival in France. News did not come as quickly as it should have, and then finally, he received a cable message from his wife. It was sent from Wales and simply contained two words. “Saved alone.” The ship that had carried the precious cargo of his wife and daughters, the Ville du Havre, had sunk in the Atlantic Ocean, and only his wife had survived. 

Grief-stricken, Horatio sent a cable message to his wife and told her to continue on to France where friends awaited who could provide care and comfort. He then boarded a ship himself and headed for France. At a certain point during this journey, the captain of the ship called Horatio into his cabin to tell him that according to his calculations, they were at about the same location where the Ville du Havre had sunk. Horatio thanked the captain and made his way to the bow of the ship where he stood alone. In that moment, he took from his pocket some paper and a pencil. These are the words he wrote –

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea-billows roll, Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, “It is well, it is well with my soul.”

Tho’ Satan should buffet, tho’ trials should come Let this blest assurance control, That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin–oh, the bliss of this glorious thought! My sin–not in part, but the whole, Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more; Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, oh, my soul!

And, Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll, The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend– “Even so–it is well with my soul.”

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live If Jordan above me shall roll, No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life, Thou shalt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

Can you even imagine? I know I can’t. I’ve had some pretty bad days, but I haven’t known grief like that. Losing all four beautiful children at one time in such a tragic way seems like more than a person could bear. Yet, in the middle of the deepest grief, at the very moment he was confronted with tremendous loss and pain  and in the very location of tragedy, Horatio Spafford’s response was one of contentment. “It is well with my soul.”
Oh, how this challenges my heart, and oh, how I admire this declaration of faith in the midst of unimaginable heartache! 

In pondering this precious hymn, I am struck by many of the lyrics, but one line in particular provides a much needed insight. “Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, ‘It is well, it is well with my soul.'” 

Contentment isn’t a natural response. It is something we must learn. How can we learn contentment if all of life is smooth sailing? If we never had the opportunity to be discontented, we could never be taught by God how to be content. Here’s what the Apostle Paul had to say about this –

“I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:11-13 (ESV)

“How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:11-13 (NLT)

Thou hast taught me. I have learned. The similarities are striking, aren’t they? Both men who knew unbelievable hardships became men who learned contentment. I believe this is an accurate view of faith. There is a circulating misconception that claims faith in Christ is an exemption from hardship, trial, sickness, grief, and pain. Our faith in Christ is not an exemption. Among all the wonderful promises of Jesus is –

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (ESV)

As long as we live in this fallen world, Jesus promises that we will have tribulation (affliction, trouble, anguish). It’s how we learn to be content. As I heard in a recent sermon, it’s not an elective course in the school of faith, it’s required. 

Our faith is not an exemption, it is an unshakable belief that no matter what happens in this life, God is enough. He is more than enough. And He is teaching us that true contentment doesn’t come from having everything we want or from what this life can offer. True contentment is the abiding truth that Jesus has overcome the world. One day our faith will be made sight, and we will spend eternity celebrating the One who is more than enough. 

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” II Corinthians 4:16-18 (ESV)

“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them all and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” II Corinthians 4:16-18 (NLT)

Those are some of my very favorite verses. Faith will be sight, and our hope is unshakable in Christ.

I don’t know what you may be going through. If you’re like me, maybe you’re still in the required course of hardship and tribulation. I’m still learning to be content. I have made progress, but I’m still enrolled. How thankful I am for great examples of contentment and faith like Horatio Spafford! I’m also so thankful that God never wastes our trials and hardships. When I think of the thousands upon thousands of people who have found comfort and encouragement in the words of Horatio’s well-known hymn, I smile. It’s just like God to turn tragedy into triumph and ashes into beauty.

Dear Father, I pray for my friends who are reading this blog post today and who are going through very difficult circumstances. I’m asking that You would use these words to encourage them and to help them to fix their gaze on things that cannot be seen. Thank You that You are enough and that You are the source of true contentment. Teach us to be content. Teach us to say, “It is well with my soul.” Let our faith in You inspire others to see that You are more than enough for us. I pray that You will continue to turn our tragedies into triumph and our ashes into beauty as we hold onto You in faith, believing that You are working all things together for our good. Amen.

-Dana

*Information about Horatio G. Spafford taken from the book Well With My Soul by Rachael Phillips (2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.) pp. 8-34.

Tegaye.

Tegaye walked through the gate of the orphanage in Ethiopia with her three children, holding the hand of one, carrying one on her back and one in her arms.  At first glance, it appeared that the two smaller children were very close in age, and I wondered if they were twins.  When she handed one of the babies to me, it was quickly obvious that he was quite ill.  He was so thin, with sunken in eyes and poor muscle tone.  She explained to us that he has had problems since birth.  Because of his disabilities, his father left them and her family shunned them.  They all wanted her to give him up and told her he was a curse, that because of him, she was cursed.  Tegaye cried as she told her story.  She handled Natanim, her disabled son, so gently and held him close to her face, kissing him and saying, ” He is my gift from God.”  After being abandoned by her family to survive on her own, she was raped and became pregnant.  Her youngest child was a little girl, 3 months old, who looked happy and healthy.  Tegayeworked braiding hair, and she had to leave the children at home while she was working.   As she finished speaking, we all stood in silence.  Jadyn asked our interpreter, “Please, can you tell her that we don’t think she is cursed?”  Tegaye cried, and we cried.  We told her that she was doing a beautiful thing, keeping her son and working to support her children.  We were able to give her cloth diapers and wipes and clothes, and most importantly, our love and prayers for help for her family.

Jadyn.

Who is it that had the insight and courage to speak love to a suffering mom like that?  Jadyn was finishing her junior year of high school when she was invited to go to Ethiopia to share love and serve poor families and orphans.  She was no stranger to trauma and difficulty herself.  I didn’t know the details, but I knew enough to see that the issues were painful and that although there was healing in progress, there were also scars.  Jadyn traveled across the world with a group of people she really didn’t know, at a time in her life when she was sorting out who she was and where she belonged.  Early in our trip, I shared a song with her.  

“Head full of questions, how can you measure up?

To deserve affection, to ever be enough

For this existence

When did it get so hard?

Your heart is beating, alive and breathing,

And there’s a reason why

You are essential, not accidental

And you should realize

You are beloved

I wanted you to know

You are beloved

Let it soak into your soul

Oh, forget the lies you heard

Rise above the hurt

And listen to these words

You are beloved.”

Beloved.  The message resonated with her immediately-she needed those words, and she held on to them.  And, in the moment when she met Tegaye, someone who also needed to know she was beloved, she spoke that message, with grace and unmistakable sincerity.

Beloved.  

I still remember the very first time I heard that song, sung live by Jordan Feliz.  It hit me hard, and not only because it is a great song with an amazing message, but because of where I was standing.  As I listened to those words for the first time, I was standing beside a young person who was struggling to keep his head above the waters of depression and anger.  Again, I didn’t know the details, but I knew enough to see that he was feeling alone and sad.  I prayed for him as the song played; I so wanted him to hear and understand how beloved he was!  I never had an opportunity to talk with him about that moment, but I kept praying, and now, several years later, you can see smiles and peace taking over darkness and sorrow.

As I was thinking through this connection from a song to a teenager to a single Ethiopian mom, I remembered vividly a scene from my own life.  My own “beloved” moment.  I was 20.  I was sitting in Venezuela with a group of young people singing worship songs.  I was torn and tired.  I had been on a roller coaster of emotions for several years, seemingly banging my head against a wall as I tried to get unstuck from repetitive poor choices and a destructive relationship.  Not-so-great self-esteem and my deep-seated “need” to please everyone were like quicksand, sucking me back in every time I felt like I was making progress.  At that moment though, I wasn’t thinking about any of those things.  It wasn’t a “special” moment, we had gathered to sing together routinely during the preceding several weeks.  I don’t even know what song we were singing, but all at once, I heard and felt God’s incredible love.  It washed over me.  “He loves me.  He loves me.”  Like deep, intense love, and not because I was getting life right or because I was great or even good.  In spite of the mess and the regrets.  It didn’t matter.  God loved me. I had been singing “Jesus loves me this I know” since I was born.  But all at once, I knew.  I cried.  I didn’t care if people noticed (that by itself is a sign of how powerful this was inside me).  There is no question that that night in Venezuela was a turning point, a conversion, if you will.  Somehow it provided me with the strength to move in a healthy direction and to keep moving that way.  There were set backs, but the tide had turned.

Beloved.  Let it sink into your soul.  God’s love is powerful, life changing.  It is real.  He loves you.  It doesn’t depend on you, who you are or what you do, and it is there whether or not you feel it or understand it.  But the feeling it and starting to understand it can change everything.  

This is why Paul prayed, 

“I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth,  and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”  (Ephesians 3:18-19)

I pray that for you.  

It is only because of God’s love that we can love.  That’s the only way we can love ourselves and love others.

“We love because he first loved us.”  (I John 4:19)

Jesus tells us that the proof of our connection to God’s love is our love for others. 

“By this everyone will know that are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)

It’s like the love of God for us unlocks our ability to truly give love.

More than anything, I want to live a life of love, and I can only do that by knowing that I am beloved and immersing myself in God’s love, and even copying Him.

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2)

You are beloved.  Let it sink into your soul.  Then go out and help someone else know how loved they are.  

-Leah

“Sometimes a heart can feel like a heavy weight

It pulls you under and you just fall away

Is anybody gonna hear you call (Oh, oh)

But there’s a purpose 

Under the surface

And you don’t have to drown

Let me remind you 

That love will find you 

Let it lift you out

You are beloved

I wanted you to know

You are beloved

Let it soak into your soul

Oh, forget the lies you heard

Rise above the hurt

And listen to these words

You are beloved”

Work. What comes to mind when you see that word? Maybe you think of your job, household tasks, or things you do in service to others. Maybe you instantly feel stress, pressure, pride, or a sense of achievement. Maybe you’re reminded of adages you’ve heard all your life like, “Hard work pays off,” or “The price of success is hard work.” There are some great quotes out there about hard work. Here are a few I found that are worth sharing:

“Nothing will work unless you do.” Maya Angelou

“Opportunity is missed by most because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” Thomas Edison

“Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work.” Booker T. Washington

For sure, there is truth to be found in these adages and quotes, and there is great value in a solid work ethic. I like to think of myself as a hard worker, and my guess is, most of you do too. The truth is, there never seems to be a shortage of things that need to be done, and it’s important that people like us are getting them done. 

The Bible has much to say about the value of work and also the vice of laziness. A quick tour through Proverbs will prove that to be true. It is also true that there is much work to be done for God and for His Kingdom, and we are definitely called to be doing that work. That being said, there is a danger that can happen in our hearts when we find ourselves working for the wrong reasons. This is something I have to guard against all the time. You see, sometimes I find myself working for God because I’m trying to earn more of His favor. I default to this notion that I can earn my way into His good graces by doing things that I think will please Him. I am constantly in need of reminding myself of some basic truths.

God is perfect and holy.

That seems pretty obvious, right? It doesn’t seem like something I should need to be reminded about, but it is. Sometimes, I forget that His perfection and holiness are so far out of my reach that there is no possible way I can attain them. When I was doing children’s ministry several years ago, I used this analogy that I grew to love because of the vivid imagery it provides. Imagine you have a perfect white shirt that you need to put in the washer. Would you put it in the washer with bright red socks? Of course not! Why? The perfection of the white shirt would be marred as soon as it came into contact with the socks. This is a very simplistic comparison, but it helps my simple mind to see this truth. God is completely perfect and pure. Sin cannot be allowed near His holy presence because it would forever mar His perfection. This presents me with a big problem.

I am not perfect and holy. I am a flawed sinner.

I’m the bright red socks. This means that I cannot have access to God’s presence in my sinful state. Now, some people might look at me and say, “That’s an overstatement. You’re a pretty decent person. Most of the time, you are nice to other people. You’re not an awful person.” Nice red socks, but red socks still the same. In my human nature, I sin all the time. I have wrong thoughts, bad feelings toward other people, and attitudes that are completely selfish. I have lied, cheated, mistreated other people, and a whole host of other things that prove that the socks are red. The red socks don’t belong in the same washer with the perfect white shirt. The problem is real, and it is bad news.

Jesus is the answer.

I’ve heard it said that we have to understand the bad news before we can understand the good news. There is incredibly good news for sinners like me! Jesus came to bring us a solution. He lived a perfect, sinless life so that He could pay the penalty for my sins. Because of His sacrifice on the cross, these red socks have been made perfectly white. Don’t believe me? Check out what this verse says –

“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” Isaiah 1:18 (ESV)

Because of my sinful heart, I deserve eternal punishment. (Bad news) Because of the grace of God and the sacrifice of Jesus, He traded His righteousness for my sins, took my punishment, and totally transformed my heart. (GOOD NEWS) Now, because of what He did, His perfection covers me, and I have access to God’s presence.

Salvation is a free gift.

So, you may be thinking, “What does this have to do with working?” Good question. I have a tendency to forget that what Jesus did for me is a free gift. When that happens, I start thinking that if I’m good enough and do enough good things, I can earn my own way. There are so many things wrong with that way of thinking. Let’s see what the Bible says –

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:9 (ESV)

“God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” Ephesians 2:9 (NLT)

So, here’s the truth. When I believed that Jesus is the Son of God and paid the penalty for my sins, God saved me by HIS GRACE. It was never about what I could do to help myself. It was always about His great love for me and His amazing grace. When I start to think that I can be good enough or do enough good things to earn my salvation, that dishonors God and devalues what Jesus did at the cross. It is an inappropriate response that makes it all about me. If my salvation depends on my ability to be good enough, I am eternally doomed. I can’t make the red socks what they aren’t. They will still be red. Only Jesus can bring the necessary transformation. 

“We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.” Isaiah 64:6 (NLT)

That’s pretty strong wording, isn’t it? Our ‘good enough’ will never even begin to be good enough. Perfection is something that we cannot attain this side of eternity. Oh, how we need Jesus and His righteousness!

God’s love for me isn’t based on my performance.

Here’s the best part. God loves me on my worst days (when I wake up on the wrong side of the bed, yell at my husband for no reason, have fits of road rage on the way to work, completely ignore my Bible and feel no need for prayer, mistreat my co-workers, complain all day, display an ungrateful attitude, etc.) AS MUCH as He does on my best days (when I wake up singing a song, make my husband breakfast in bed, let all the other drivers pull in front of me, read 10 chapters in the Bible, spend 2 hours in prayer, share the Gospel with my co-workers, maintain an attitude of gratitude, etc.). Why? Because God’s love for me is unconditional and perfect. It does not fluctuate based on how I measure up. No amount of work will gain me any more favor than I already have. Amazing to ponder that, isn’t it? 

These are the truths that I have to be constantly reminded of when I fall into my default of working for the wrong reasons. Yes, I must work hard to do the things I know God wants for me to do, but I have to remember that the only way I can do those things is through His grace and power at work in me. I work for Him because I love Him; I don’t work for Him so that He will love me more. He already loves me perfectly. He loves you perfectly. If this is something you also need reminded of, my prayer is that the truth of God’s perfect love will set you free. 

Heavenly Father, your love for us is indescribable and so very hard for us to comprehend. Thank you for making a way for red socks to be made perfectly white. Thank you for sending Jesus to live the perfect life that we couldn’t live. Thank you for the price He paid to take the penalty for our sins and to wrap us forever in His righteousness. It is only by Your grace that we can approach Your holy presence, and our hearts are eternally grateful. Help us to remember that we can never earn our own way, and let our work for You be motivated only by our love for You. Amen.

-Dana