(Book begins with the Preface in the January 31 post.)
Part II, Performing for the Love of It
Now it’s time to find your own act. Remember, your mission is not meant to be the same as mine. God is the circus master; He determines your place. Your service won’t follow the same path as mine; it won’t be on the same tightrope. He’s given you things you love to do, areas of concern that break your heart. When you are doing what God has called you to do, he’ll give you a joy in the performance of the work.
God’s balance can affect every area of our lives. We can seek him for our own areas of focus and serve confidently as He directs. One way God often leads us in social justice is by our own heartfelt concern as we are exposed to different needs. The following chapters outline different facets of social justice, giving some facts, appropriate Scriptures, some organizations that work in the area, and some easy ideas for getting started if you wish to test the waters.
In The Message, a Bible paraphrase, Eugene Peterson gives us all a verse to guide our steps on the tightrope. Here is his version of Galatians 6:4, 5:
Make careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.
That’s the ticket. If we want to find our places, we must first carefully explore who we are and discover the work we’ve been given by God. Then we are to sink our teeth into it. We don’t spend time comparing ourselves to others. We don’t sink in a gully of guilt for not doing more. We simply look for creative ways to do the best we can at the task God has equipped us to do.
Take baby steps. Hold tight to God’s hand. See yourself as a work in progress. I hope you’ll use this next section of the book to find your place, the ways God has uniquely created you to love your neighbor and so serve Him.