To Those Who Are Willing

No one wants to be over committed. I have had to adopt a policy of 'holy subtraction' throughout my life. If you're unfamiliar with the term it simply means that you look over your commitments, readjust priorities and subtract those things that don't allow you to keep reaching for God's best. The truth is none of things you let go of should ever contradict what God says in His Word. For instance you wouldn't abandon your family in order to go live alone on a mountain. You wouldn't give up reading God's Word in order to build a new deck.

When done correctly “Holy Subtraction” has the ability to simplify your life and let you do great things instead of settling for that which is only “good”.

Once upon a time I was asked to attend a high school event and videotape the performance. My immediate response was, “I'm certain you could find someone more qualified since I have never done this before.” I thought I was being gracious, even honest, but a subsequent email suggested otherwise, “We weren't looking for great qualification we were looking for someone willing.”

The end result? I filmed three nightly performances of Oklahoma (A musical in which I performed in high school). By the third night I was no longer just a willing individual, but one with more experience than I had just a few days earlier.

I think God will give us opportunity to help others even when the help needed falls outside our comfort zone. We may resist or respond, and we can be certain that whichever choice we make we will learn something. It could be about ourselves, it could be about others, or it could even be about something that will help us in other situations.

Because I love quotes I want to share one from George Herbert who died in 1633 (well before digital video cameras), “Do not wait; the time will never be "just right." Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.”

You may have heard that God equips the called instead of always calling the equipped? Well, the evidence of this is often found when we see where God is working and go there. We jump into the situation with little more than a desire to do what we feel God is asking us to do. With each uncertain step we find that the things we need to complete the task become more accessible the longer we work.

Yet so often we are waiting for the 'just right' moment, although we may be very unsure what that moment looks like or how we will recognize it. We may have reasons to live in a sustained time of rest, and that may be the best choice, but sometimes the choice to do something is to simply start where you are and ask God for His best direction providing the lamp to the feet and a light for the path. One step, two steps, and a few more. With each forward movement we begin to find the trust we have in God grows because in each small step forward we trust His leadership, yearn for His voice, and sense there is adventure waiting – to those who are willing.