Weekly Thought – September 3, 2019
Fred liked to say “service is the rent we pay on the space we occupy in life.” How he lived this out! A cynical physician recently wrote that after 75 life just deteriorates and we take more from society than we give. He never knew Fred! He gave back right up to the last breath.
The repairs on breakfastwithfred.com are progressing well. Also, updates on bwfli.com are in the works. The sites had grown “old and cranky,” so this needed work is being done. Thank you to our financial supporters who make this possible. Your contributions make the wisdom of Fred Smith, Sr. available online. Thank you. Check out the Facebook page: Breakfast With Fred Leadership Institute.
Little Good, Big Good
Dick Halverson served as the Chaplain of the Senate for 14 years. Three or four of his friends spent a weekend at his farm engaged in conversation. As we sat around, talking, one of my favorite descriptions of Christ came to mind: “He went about doing good.” That was so much the way Dick chose to live.
I find it interesting to see how Christ lived his life. No rushing around, no to-do list, no trying to make it to the next “significant encounter,” no prioritizing – just going about doing good. He stopped as he traveled to the home of Jairus, responding to the tug on his robe by a woman with a serious female problem. He paused, touched her, and then continued on His way.
Can you think of a better obituary than “He (or she) went about doing good – and doing good just where he (she) was? It isn’t about creating a platform for doing good, but recognizing that just where you are is your opportunity.
Sadly, I watch Christian celebrities who strive for the “big good.” They want the visibility, the prestige, and the limelight. Many times these people move from organization to organization moving up the Christian “doing good ladder.” On the other hand, I see Christians who feel they aren’t productive because they are doing “little good.” How wrong they are!
Those that plant seeds and “bloom where they are planted,” as the cliché goes, may be operating in the power of the Spirit way more than the celebrities who run to the bright lights. In another outstanding conversation time I sat with a group of Christian leaders, including Stephen Olford. After a stimulating discussion on leadership he quietly asked, “I have had my share of celebrity. I have been recognized.as one who faithfully teaches the Word. But when I die if my family can’t say they saw God in me, then I have failed.”
The little opportunities to do good day by day, wherever we are, should be our agenda, not rushing from meeting to meeting gaining recognition. Don’t misunderstand me – I certainly see the good in public ministry… just not the “be all,” and the sole reason for service.
It is about recognizing who we are, what our gifts are, and where God has planted us – then making service a priority.
This week think about: 1) How focused am I on what is right in front of me? 2) Who models blooming where they are planted in my life? 3) What can I do this week to strengthen my “going about doing good?”
Words of Wisdom: “Service is the rent we pay on the space we occupy in life.”
Wisdom from the Word: “Get dressed for service and keep your lamps burning.” (Luke 12:35 NET Bible)