My "thing" (Part 2)

What decisions we make with the free will God graciously gave us is our part. We have been given the freedom to bend our will in either direction, for good or for evil. Our initial “Yes” to Jesus is bending our will in agreement with the fact we are sinners and we need a Saviour. God’s part is that while we were sinners Christ died for us. We were incapable of living out the wonderful lives God willed for us, so He stepped in and made it possible through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ. 

Our “Yeses” don’t stop after receiving the life of Jesus in exchange for our sin. This world offers plenty of opportunities for us to say “Yes” or “No” to what it has to offer. God did His part by giving us His grace. 

“It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good” (Titus 2:12-14).

When I was preparing my teaching on the book of Galatians for the School of Biblical Studies in Rwanda, I was struck with the truth that we have been given the freedom NOT to sin. So many believe freedom means doing whatever our flesh feels like doing. But true freedom means NOT doing what our flesh dictates. In other words, we have been given the power not to sin. How many of us are using that power in the way it was originally intended?

My “thing” has been wanting to make a difference in someone’s life. Not a bad desire, but when I step into what is God’s part or the other person’s part then I set myself up for disappointment. As I was grappling with this the Lord led me to two passages, both in Matthew. One describes when Jesus was in Bethany and a guest at Simon the Leper’s house. As Jesus was eating a woman came up to Him and anointed Him with a bottle of very expensive perfume. Aghast, the disciples questioned its use. If it was going to be used, why not sell it and use the money for the poor? Jesus rebuked them, telling them to leave her alone. He explained that she had chosen to use what she possessed to serve a greater purpose, and that was anointing Him in preparation for His burial. He went on to say that this sacrificial act was so significant that wherever the gospel was preached in the whole world, what she had done would also be told in memory of her. Jesus obviously had a very different view of what took place than the disciples did. Her act made a difference to Jesus and ultimately to the world.

The other passage in Matthew that the Lord led me to was when He was describing how, in the end, He will distinguish those who belong to Him and those who don’t. This is the criterion He will use:

I was hungry and you fed me,

I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,

I was homeless and you gave me a room,

I was shivering and you gave me clothes,

I was sick and you stopped to visit,

I was in prison and you came to me.

I was beginning to realize that my part, just like the woman who anointed Jesus, is to be obedient to what He leads me to do. I was also seeing that whatever I do – feeding, giving my time, treasures and talents, giving a bed or my flat to someone who doesn’t have a home, giving my clothes, visiting the sick and prisoners – is doing it for Jesus. My responsibility finishes once I obey. The other person’s responsibility starts after they have a gift extended to them. They choose whether they want to receive what is being offered and have it make a difference in their journey with Jesus. Just as God doesn’t make our choices for us, nor can I for those He’s entrusted to me. 

The woman who anointed Jesus was putting her hope in Him. Because of her willingness to do it for Him, she didn’t walk away disappointed. May I, may we all, use this free will He has given us to make a difference to Jesus!