KINGDOM WORK AFFECTS YOUR LIFE
By Kurt Johnston
Remember the Grinch (You know, the green guy that stole
Christmas)? After “stealing Christmas,” the Grinch has a change
of heart and decides to be helpful instead of selfish and works
to help make Christmas better than ever. Toward the end of the
movie the narrator says this famous line: “Well, in Whoville they
say that the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day.”
Being a Kingdom worker helps your heart grow! It’s impossible to
look out for the needs of the world around you without your
compassion, care and concern for people to grow.
Philippians 4:2 encourages us, “Don’t look out only for your own
interests, but take an interest in others, too.”
While there are many verses and examples in scripture about the
importance and power of Kingdom work, this simple little reminder
may be one of the most powerful of them all. God is imploring us
to be on the lookout for the needs of others – the people we see
everyday all around us. And it makes sense because that’s the way
Jesus lived his life! Jesus had his own concerns (just like we
do), but he was more concerned about the people he came across as
he was doing his thing. Here’s an interesting way to think about
it: While Jesus was doing his thing, he’d see the needs of others
and their thing suddenly became his thing! Jesus’ main thing was
other people.
Here’s the deal: It’s impossible to be selfish and be an
effective Kingdom worker. And breaking the power of selfishness
starts by being willing to take an active interest in the lives
of other people instead of being focused only on yourself.
Looking out for the needs of others accomplishes two important things. First, it obviously helps the people you’re helping. That’s a no-brainer, right? When you take the time to help somebody with their homework, you’re helping them get better grades. When you notice your elderly neighbor struggling to mow his lawn and lend a hand, you’re helping him to avoid a heart attack! But it also helps you. When you decide to be a Kingdom worker – to pay attention to the concerns of others – you grow. You grow in your relationship with Jesus. You grow in your concern and compassion for others. And maybe, like the Grinch, your heart will grow three times.
Kurt Johnston is the student ministries pastor at Saddleback Church. He tweets at @kurtjohnston.
KINGDOM WORKER CHALLENGE:
KINGDOM WORKER WORSHIP:
KINGDOM WORKER AUDIO DEVOTIONAL:
KINGDOM WORKER CONVERSATION:
BRING. CHANGE. SHARE. 