Function Factors

It’s for decoration. That was the explanation for it. A tall glass cabinet housed dishes with carefully and beautifully designed patterns and pictures. The dishes, I was reliably informed, were there for decoration. It was the sign that this house had class and a dash of affluence. No one would ever use those plates to actually partake in meals – God forbid. But we could all admire the craftsmanship and beauty of the dishes behind the glass. That practice baffled me then, and it baffles me now.

When God created humanity, He didn’t create them for decoration. It was not His plan to just put them on display for others to observe their look, and that was that. The creation narrative has a God who works and rules at its heart, and as the masterpiece of His work, He creates a being that would also work and rule. The image bearers reflected their Creator in their capacity and responsibility to work and rule. Adam’s instruction was to work.

It should come as no surprise then that God’s only begotten Son walked this earth to work. His mission had at its heart the responsibility to work – teaching, proclaiming, healing, restoring, and making disciples. All of these exhibited His call to work. He didn’t come to be served; He came to serve. That service went to the point of offering Himself as the sacrifice for sin. That service extends to sending His Spirit to live in those who believe the good news that He who serves is also He who rules.

The remarkable work of the Spirit of God in every believer turns them onto pursuing His will and, as a result, pursuing how God wants them to function in the Body of Christ and as servants in their sphere of influence. It’s remarkable because it doesn’t just affect our feelings and affections; it transforms our understanding of what we do, where we do it, how we do it, and why.

The answer to why we function goes back to what forms us. We are being transformed by renewing our minds to understand God’s good, acceptable and perfect will, which is explored further here.

What is my function? God understands. When He calls you out of the world and into His glorious Kingdom, He’s not expecting you to relax in the nearest recliner, looking for a pina colada to enjoy His eternal blessings. He informs you that there is work to be done. He’s prepared the work. He’s also equipped you for the work. These things discovered in the ongoing communication with Him highlight what He wants us to do.  It helps that as we embrace what He has done for us in Christ, we become more aware of our response of gratitude in diligent obedience to do what He wants us to do. That function – enabled, equipped and empowered by Him – will point back to Him. Observers somehow will know that what they’ve seen and what has been served is not of the self-centred motive. The fingerprints of God will be all over it. Whatever the work, it will do something to communicate and convey the rule of God in this world. It might be through the word spoken or the word demonstrated, but either way, that function will return glory to God because of God.

Where do I function? There’s a place, oh may I find it, where my mission I can fill, be it humble or exalted may I hold it with a will. Help to serve my generation with a heart of love and grace. Help me, Lord, from this time onward, find and occupy my place. In the light of following Jesus, where I function is a question of relationship. In the workplace, at home, and among the saints, there’s an understanding that God deliberately places us where we can be a blessing to others and how others can bless us. It’s also good to be aware of this along the journey. It’s not a guarantee that where you function now will be where you’ll always function. It’s also no guarantee that even if you remain in the exact geographical location, it means that your function will be in the same place. Growth in knowing Jesus can bring a change to where you function.

How do I function? Our identity as a child of God greatly affects how we operate. It is easy and is conditioned in us to operate by our own efforts. We are brought up to have the idea that we’re supposed to make things happen and, as much as possible, do it on our own. What changes when we are children of God is our understanding that we operate only by the power of God. The dependence of Jesus on God is the template. He only did what He saw His Father do. In like manner, we don’t have the “luxury” to wing it and work by our ingenuity. That doesn’t prevent spontaneous or improvisational behaviour; it’s just to acknowledge that even those are based on sensitivity and determination only to do what pleases God. That dependence on God also brings us to the truth that how we function is often in relationship with others who are called to do God’s business God’s way. There will be no room for any individual to boast about what they’ve done by themselves and on their own when it comes to the function God calls us to.

Those who refuse to conform to this world understand that being shaped by God’s will directly affects the functions that follow. Pursuing the will of God means that the way income is earned is now a God factor. Pursuing the will of God means that the way the home is developed is now a God factor. Pursuing the will of God means that the way a community of believers gathers and serves is now a God factor. That affects individual life and relational/community operation. That is also why God has not designed us for decoration—He is glorified as we fulfil His function.

For His Name’s Sake

C. L. J. Dryden

Shalom