I had heard it all before. I was asking a group of students to give me feedback on some material I taught and what they were going to do with it. Almost unanimously they declared that they were going to get serious and do something with it. But I had heard that before. In essence they were saying, "We are fixing to get ready to begin to take the first steps of what will be the genesis of the start of the initial stages of what we hope to accomplish in the Lord." In other words, they were not really ready to get started; they were only talking about possibly beginning, when conditions were right and God opened whatever doors they perceived needed to be opened. Their words were tentative and consequently their actions would be, too.
I have concluded that it isn't that people don't want to get started, but rather they don't know how to get started. What's more, it's a whole lot easier to talk about starting than to actually start. And since we are people of the 'Word' and words, when we have said something sincerely, we believe we have done something.
I listened to our pastor preach a great sermon this weekend about repentance. He asked everyone at the end to do some business with the Lord and allow the Spirit to show them something from which they have been resisting the Lord and not repenting. I may be mistaken, but I would imagine most people repented of things they were doing - gossip, watching bad movies, smoking and the like. I wonder how many of us repented of things we are not doing that God wants us to do, like missions, writing, creating, teaching and studying?
When I closed my eyes and asked God what I needed to repent of, I sensed He was showing me "fear." That is not what I expected. Yet if there is anything the Lord saying to me over and over again for the last few years, it's been, "Don't be afraid." So if I continue in fear when God says not to, then I need to repent of my attitude and stop walking and talking in fear. To fear when I know it is wrong is a sin of commission. The things my fear keeps me from doing are sins of omission.
In Catholic theology, there are sins of commission - things you do that are wrong. Yet there are also sins of omission - things you should have done but did not do. I tend to consider commission worse than omission, but is that really the case? Don't the good deeds and purposeful acts I could do but don't produce negative results, just like my sins of commission? Why do I think omission is excusable but commission is evil? It seems like a double standard or worse yet, misplaced priorities on what sin actually is. Sin isn't always the presence of evil, but also not doing the good that could and should be done.
How about you? Where is your emphasis these days, on commission or omission? I urge you to consider that omission may be as bad or worse than commission and then get busy doing the things you know you should be doing. Stop getting ready to begin the start of the genesis of your purposeful work, seek out help in how to get started and then take your first steps. After that, just keep on walking. Have a blessed week.
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THE PACIFIC INSTITUTE: I am going to host my annual seminar TPI here in PIttsburgh on March 14 and 15 and then again on April 25 and 26. What is TPI? The training offered is the best I have ever encountered and has made me better and more effective at everything I do. The cost is $400, so it represents an investment in yourself, but it will pay dividends for the rest of your life! If you are interested, write and I will send you more information.
KENYA: You can read my latest updates from Kenya that include some urgent needs for education and
food for children such as those pictured here. Please read and then give as the Lord leads, either through my website or by sending a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. Thank you (and the children thank you, too).
PURPOSECOACH: The special on my PurposeCoach Program ends this Thursday, February 28. For $99 (Usually $199), you can have access to my online purpose coaching program and some personal attention from me. You can pay for your PurposeCoach Program via Paypal or by sending a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8881, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0881. Make the investment in your life today. I am attaching a FAQ sheet concerning PurposeCoach, along with an enrollment application, below. Because I have digitized everything, you can enroll no matter where your geographic righteousness is - in other words, no matter where you live.
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