Perceptions #2

JUST DO IT

by Eddie Randolph

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matt. 7:21)

"Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice." (Phil. 4:9a)

"In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." (Jms. 1:17)

Have you ever known someone who was always in school, but never used the education? How about those who amass a vast repertoire of facts to be regurgitated in an instant, but who cannot use those facts for any productive purpose?

What of those who always like to study the same things over and over and over, ad infinitum, ad nauseam, but never shares that knowledge with others?

It's like the man who reads every book on time management and goes to all the seminars on organizing one's life but he doesn't have time to get organized.

There is a benefit of knowledge for the sake of knowledge. It is helpful to expand one's intellectual horizons, to add balance to one's experience. It is important to know the concepts and theories that one's trade (and faith!) is built on. The mind that is open to regular learning is a mind that will stay sharp longer.

On the other hand, knowledge and training that is not used productively is either lost or fruitless. When Jesus trained the Twelve, it was not education for the sake of education. They were trained to continue His ministry and carry the Good News to the four corners of the earth. The recipients of the book of Hebrews were criticized because even in their learning, they had not progressed where they could intellectually digest the "meatier" teachings (Heb. 5:11ff). Paul worked with Timothy as a mentor, but left him to minister in Ephesus.

How well do we measure up in the church in balancing knowledge with actual ministry?

One goal of our gathering should be to prepare each other for ministry. We can fill classes to talk about ministry, but are we doing ministry? It is easy to challenge a teacher who ruffles our theological feathers, but do we allow our lives to be challenged to respond to God?

Paul made it clear that his teaching and example was to be imitated (Phil 3:17), not just discussed. It is helping heal the wounds of a sick world. It is explaining the good news to a lost friend. It is giving a cup of cold water in the name of our Savior. It is serving. It is teaching. It is doing. It is time we took Jesus out of the classroom and put him back in the marketplace.

Eddie's e-mail address: erandolph1@aol.com

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