The following article was in Lifeline a newsletter of Lifeline Chapaincy(emphasis is author's). Comments below.
Enough
Jesus assembles the “original 12”, and pointed to a world hungry to hear good news. Then he gave them these unorthodox marching orders:
“Don’t think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start. You don’t need a lot of equipment. You are the equipment.” (from Eugene Peterson’s ‘The Message’ Matthew 10)
A different paraphrase might read: Don’t obsess over funds, and don’t over pack. Fear not, doors will open. You have what you need, for with me, you are equipped.
In my own spiritual journey, I have learned and re-learned this truth. I’ve learned that I am, like the undereducated, diamonds in the rough famous 12, capable of being salt and light, capable of bringing encouragement to the overwhelming discouraged. All because I am in God’s transforming presence.
And that is enough.
It’s a theological spin on an old saying: With God’s help, just be yourself.
In my early days of learning pastoral care skills with those who were bruised and hurting, I was taught to be present, to be caring, and to be available. (this was another way of saying that “I am the equipment”) When I polled advisers for specific words to say in difficult situations, I was told, “Go not with quick answers to the unanswerable questions, but with open hands, and an open heart.”
How the newly appointed apostle must have inwardly queried: “Where’s the sales pitch? What are the exact words I’m supposed to use to convey a message of hope? Don’t we need to practice this on each other first?”
So now I think of people who come to me, knowing my profession as a hospital chaplain, asking for a crash course in how to do crisis ministry…hoping I’ll provide them a computerized check-list of everything one is to do to connect deeply and spiritual with others.
Instead, I think I’ll simply point them back to the profoundly simple marching orders from Jesus: Go, just be yourself, trust Me, and always remember you are the equipment. Spread the message of the peaceable Kingdom. Tell others that God is here and now – within each of us, not out there for a select few.
And that is enough.
~Virgil Fry
Matthew 10:8b-10
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This truth Mr. Fry talks about is one that I have been struggling with for the past 10 years. Because I can come up with more excuses of I am not prepared or that the time is just not right, or the worse for me is that God can't use me because of_______ and I fill in the blank with the "stutter" of the month. I have some friends who are in the beginning stages of embarking on a new mission in my town. It has caused me to think and evalute my effectiveness in spreading the gospel here. I DO a lot in the name of God but I am not real sure how much I am doing FOR God or Because of God.
I feel a calling deep within me to stretch my wings and see how high and far I can fly, but I am so afraid of previous flight attempts that resulted in crashes. I pray that I will learn that I am enough because of God.
