Make Your Life Count!

I have participated in far too many funerals for my age. Every single one of those ceremonies is intended to honor the memory of the one who passed and to help the surviving loved ones deal with their grief. A funeral is one of the most profound moments of humanity; it is during these moments when we focus on what is truly important to us.

Let me tell you something incredibly important. Not one of those funerals mentioned how much money the deceased had earned. There was not one mention of the final total in the checking account or how many assets were in the portfolio. Very few of the services even mentioned what the person did for a living.

Instead, family members and loved ones share stories and memories from good times in the past. They speak of challenges that were overcome together. They relate values their cherished loved one held dear to his or her heart. They speak of faith. More often than not, there is focus on generosity in both time and love.

There is something about this that speaks to our core. We have been trained from birth to think life is about getting all we can get, yet that path leaves us unfulfilled. Everything inside of us screams there must be more to life than this. Your heart is giving you insight into a spiritual truth. The sum of your life is not found in what you get; it is found in what you give. We are not put on earth to consume; instead, God asks us to contribute. Giving is the most practical expression of love because a person cannot love without giving. It is impossible.

This Sunday, March 2^nd, Higher Calling will be having a special offering. We are trying to raise $10,000 above and beyond our normal offering so we can reach out into our community. The money will fund advertisements and outreach resources, primarily in the form of a mailer to be delivered in the week before Easter. I am asking for your support for this offering. Together, we can reach our community with the love of God!

Don’t ever fall for the trap of thinking life is about the acquisition of things because that path will only lead to disillusion. None of the things you acquire will have any significance to you when you evaluate the impact of your life. What will matter is the contribution you have made in the lives of others and for the kingdom of God. Choose to focus on what is truly important in life. Make your life count in eternity!

The Single Greatest Gift

Bill Hybels has done some great work in the Christian community, and his most recent book, Just Walk Across the Room, is a great tool to equip Christians to become effective followers of Christ. At Higher Calling, we are going to study this book and its cirriculum so we can be more intentional about sharing our stories with other people.

Sharing Jesus with someone is not about having the most Bible knowledge, it isn't about having an extensive knowledge of Christian apologetics or all the answers to life's most difficult challenges, and it certainly isn't about following a certain formula or guideline. I believe in a God who shatters all of our best laid plans and can never be kept in a box. I believe that Christians must reach out to the world around them because Jesus was the one who first reached out to us.

Think about that for a minute. Jesus was perfectly secure in the ultimate comfort zone of heaven, free from any unfulfilled wants or needs. He was in perfect relationship with himself and was being worshipped by all the angels. He chose to leave that place of comfort to reach out a hand to those of us on earth who were busy wrecking our lives. He chose to take a risk and leave his comfort zone so we could experience his love and eternal life.

Shouldn't followers of Christ do the same? How much do you care for a world in need? Do you care more about your comfort than seeing people come into a relationship with Jesus. We must be intentional in our pursuits of friendships with people who are far from God because the natural inclination is to have more Christian friends the longer we are Christians. We must never stop reaching out!

I encourage you to buy the Just Walk book and small group guide and come to one of our small groups. It will change the way you view outreach!