Lions and Tigers and Cares

TWILY Ministries |Love Notes|April 2010

Lions and Tigers and Cares!

A friend was showing me how to use some of the advanced features of my camera and, while admiring some of the photos he'd taken, I asked, "Have you ever thought about doing this professionally, to which he responded, "You really think they're that good?" I said, "Second to none! Not only could you sell photos, you could also give workshops - to people like me - on How to Get Beyond Point-And-Click." He said, "I've always wanted to do that! I have at least 6 professional cameras; it's my favorite thing to do!"

He was so EXCITED, and by the next day, he'd already started talking about brochures, a website, and pricing packages - in other words, he had all but hung out a sign! You know what, though? Before the next day was over, the dream was back on the shelf - he NEVER GOT STARTED. I'll tell you why in a bit, for now, though, let's just say it was for the same reasons many people never get started fulfilling their callings, reasons that boil down to just three things: Lions and Tigers and Cares! Here's what I mean by "Lions."

LIONS:

Who doesn't get fatigued from working long hard hours? - Not too many people I know! However, as Charles Haddon Spurgeon once said, "There is no fatigue so wearisome as that which comes from lack of work." The "lack of work", when due to laziness, is not too highly favored in Scripture. Proverbs 22:13 says:

The lazy person claims, "There's a lion out there! If I go outside, I might be killed!"-(NLT)

Now, this passage, like many other passages dealing with the subject of "LAZINESS", comes across somewhat humorously. When taken all together, though, we learn that the Bible is very serious when it comes to this topic. Here in this passage, the "lazy person" uses "fear" - of a lion - as his excuse for not going out, more than likely, to work. If you recall, "fear", was the very same excuse used by the servant in the Parable of the Talents. When it came time for him to give an account for his one talent, he said to his master:

"...I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you."

However, his master did not accept the excuse that "he was afraid" and thus, replied:

"...You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest." (Mat. 25:21-27 - NIV)

No doubt, there are times that we are faced with obstacles - legitimate excuses - that can indeed delay us from getting our work done. However, when there are prolonged times that we don't feel like doing our work, and we can rule out all legitimate reasons (e.g. health issues, real physical exhaustion, etc.), it may be time to ask ourselves "Is anything really holding me up, or am I just feeling a bit lazy?", and if the latter, we need to ask the Lord for help, and press beyond it. When a person is truly lazy, though, one excuse is as good as another, whether it be a ferocious lion or an intimidating tiger, a second reason many people never get started on fulfilling their calling.

TIGERS:

While some are "afraid of lions", others are intimidated by Tigers, which, by the way, is why the photographer backed out of his plans. After asking him, "What happened?" he said to me:

"I really want to, but so many people are already doing it; and they are really good! Let me show you this site."

(To make his point, he showed me several photography websites, belonging to other people. The thing is, though, as he was showing me the sites, he was constantly pointing out flaws in their work, commenting on the "technical adjustments" they needed to make, in order to achieve more professional shots. - he's really good.)

The point here is, although he is an excellent photographer, who desires to have his own business, he won't pursue it, because he's intimidated by the Tigers - "successful players" already in the field. Incidentally, I wonder how many qualified golfers didn't enter the Masters, because "Tiger was back!"

Anyway, it's easy to shake our heads at the photographer - and the golfers - for backing down, but let's face it, they're not alone; many Christians think the same way. Though the Lord has called and equipped them to do something for His Kingdom, they never "go!" Even recently, I heard a wonderfully-gifted musician and songwriter, ask "Why can't I just put this music out there, without worrying about all the super-gifted songwriters already out there?"

Looking closely at these examples, they all come down to the same crippling thing: COMPARISON, so here - from two different versions - is what Galatians 6:4-5 says about the matter:

4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5 for each one should carry his own load. - NIV

4-5 Make a 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. - Message

There is no need for comparison, which only leads to feelings of inadequacy, and the truth is, if it wasn't for the Lord's Spirit, we'd all be inadequate! (Zechariah 4:6). The Lord has not put us in competition with one another. He does, however, set each of us out on a mission and our success is NOT contingent upon who else is - or isn't - teeing off at the time. He expects us to "go" where He sends us, and to do so without "caring what people will say", my third and final point.

CARES:

Caring what people will say, PROBABLY keeps more people from answering their callings than the other two combined! It was refreshing, then, to interview a minister who had done the complete opposite.

When she decided to "walk in her calling", she received all kinds of negative feedback - and every form, too! - phone calls, emails, and snail-mail. However, fully assured of what she had been called to do, she refused to let "what they were saying" keep her from being obedient to the Lord. She said, "Joyce Ann, it was difficult, but I knew what He had directed me to do, and He has blessed the ministry tremendously!"

Well, several years have gone by, since she met all the opposition, criticism and negative remarks, and basing it on the testimonies I've read - and heard from others - surely, the Lord has blessed many people through that work. The main point, though, is this: When it comes to doing the Lord's work, there will always be negative comments coming from somewhere. However, instead of caring about "what people will say" when we set out to do the work He's given us to do, we should be more concerned with what Jesus "won't say" - in the end - if we don't! That's far more important, and precisely why many people let nothing STOP them from, not only getting started, but fulfilling their callings. For many others though, that's not yet the case, so in my closing, I offer a suggestion.

Friends, we've all been given "something" to do for God's Kingdom, and expected to do it. As such, it's a good idea to ask ourselves, "What work has the Lord given me that I haven't even STARTED?", and if we come up with anything, continue with asking "What's holding me up? - Lions? Tigers? Cares? Whatever it is, the Lord stands ready to forgive, and when He does, there's only one faithful response: Give thanks and go! Do the work fully, for then and only then, will we too, be able to say "⁴I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. - (John 17:4)

As always, I appreciate your time and your prayers. Also, your feedback is always a blessing.

Love in Christ,

Joyce Bailey

Love Notes Archives Back to Home Page