The purpose is set, the understanding is in place and now it’s just about doing the do.
It’s easy to say and it’s not as easy to do. Yet it is amazing what happens when something is done.
The wedding reception had been going so well until they discovered that the wine supply was nearly dry. The matter was brought to the attention of Mary who urged her son to do something about it. He gave an instruction for those who served to do something that appeared somewhat unorthodox. The situation was clear. The need was apparent. An instruction was given. It would be easy to query the instruction. It would be easy to complain about following the instruction of some guy who wasn’t even in charge of the affairs. Of all the options available, the one that appeared to be the most challenging was just following the instruction. Yet that’s what they did. When they merely obeyed and did what they were told to do … not only did it meet a need, it exceeded expectations. Those who did what they were told to do were not the experts on the matter, they just went about doing the do.
Some can present excuses for why the doing cannot be done. Some present the circumstances as though it’s reasonable to see that they prevent the doing from being done. Some present the obstacles as though it’s reasonable to see that they prevent the doing from being done. Some present the enormity of the task, the unorthodox instruction, the challenging restrictions and a number of other seemingly compelling excuses that should prevent the doing from being done.
Those presentations are well-meaning in a number of cases. They come from those concerned that time shouldn’t be wasted or that harm should be avoided or that disappointment should be averted. Interestingly, though, this is coming from a place where those who are saying the doing cannot be done are themselves not doing the do. Indeed what appears to be coming from those doing the do is that you might as well do what must be done.
You might as well trust the one who instructed you. You might as well acknowledge that the One who called you is greater than the excuses that appear to prevent you. You might as well trust that the One who instructed you has already made the way for the doing to be done. You might as well follow that instruction and take that step and see what can be done.
The beauty of doing the do in line with the will of the One giving the instruction is that once you’ve done something once and seen the faithfulness of the One who called you, it puts in place that degree of hope that more doing can be done.
Remember the point of all this doing is not being busy for the sake of it. It’s not about ‘doing a good deed for the day’ to appease a conscience. It’s not ticking a box to fill a quota. It is being filled with compassion and a desire to reach the desired outcome for others to benefit from something far greater than has been experienced before. A foretaste of heaven on earth in a bid that we can reach others with the love of the one who reached us. All in the hope that the Kingdom He presented to us can reach the lives of those around us. That all is taking place as we simply, obediently and wholehearted crack on in focusing on doing the do.
It is in that doing of the do that we glimpse more of a realisation that perhaps we can reach …
… But will we reach?
(Photo by Marc-Olivier Jodoin on Unsplash)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L, J. Dryden
Life With CD 