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Evaluate, Offer, Serve
Could you run a marathon without conditioning your body first? I know most of us could not and if we were to be asked what it would take to do so, I am sure the first thoughts in our heads would be conditioning. So, let’s go with conditioning. To start to process I would want to know where I stand with my stamina. There are two ways to do so, the first would be to guess or assume how far and how fast I could run consistently. The next method would be to lace up the old shoes and let the rubber meet the road. Now in your opinion which method would be the most accurate? I think we all know that the second option would be the best. In verse 3, Paul warns about being honest in your evaluations. He tells his audience to not think that you are better than you really are. Now, I know we can take that passage and apply it to a ton of truths in our own lives, but I want to apply it to serving. I think it is important to remember that no one should think of themselves greater than God has made us. What we have been given or the blessings that we have enjoyed, we have enjoyed it because God has given it and the Glory belongs to the giver, our provider, our God.
What is more important to you, your eyes or your ears, your right index finger or your left pinky toe? Both of those questions seem trivial, but what if you really had to answer? Honestly, I think it would be difficult to decide. The great thing about it is, God does not make us decide. Paul states that each part has its own function non greater than another. WOW what if we could get on board with this ideal, in the sense that if you are doing something to further the Kingdom of God, we are all as equally important. Honestly have you ever wanted to do something to serve or help a ministry, but because you felt you did not have as much to offer as a friend or church member, you did nothing at all? I know I have! But, Paul negates all that by saying, we are many parts of one body, that body being the body of Christ, and we all belong to each other.
Rob, first of all, thank you for serving our country. I’m always moved by those who bravely support the freedoms that we Americans take for granted.
Anytime I read these verses, I think I tend to skim over them because I still don’t know what part I play. I know what I’m not gifted to do.
I’m so thankful that God made everyone so unique and gifted in different ways and how necessary we are to each other. I’m always in awe of how smart and creative God is.
Rob, thank you for serving our country, and serving our church.
I like how Paul starts these verses by saying,… before everyone goes thinking they are the right hand, or the heart of the church, people should step back with sober judgement and evaluate who they really are in the body of Christ. Evaluate on the basis of faith that God has given to us. When I was new in my faith I didn’t care if I was just a nose hair, at least I was in the body. As my faith grows there is a tendancy to think more highly of myself and my position in the body, based on my own evaluation of my intellect. When I strip away that false sense of importance I revert to being content about my position as a nose hair. When my faith is on track and my eyes are set on God, then I could care less about what part I am. My struggle goes deeper as I read on, because giving my concerns to God is one thing, but realizing the end of Ro. 12:5 is a lot harder. How do I do when I am to belong to the rest of the body. Can the church count on me to perform my tasks as God intends, or am I a pimple on the face of the church doing nothing more than getting in the way and eventually making a mess. It is not enough for me to realize my function in the body. I need to perform my function in a manner that helps the body and pleases God, instead of just counting on God’s grace and mercy to accept my sub-par effort.
Rob,
Again thank you, and thank you Summer for giving up Rob and going through your pregnancy. You guys sacrificed together.
I know what you mean. I am trying to lose 20 pounds and we have this DVD that I *try* to workout to. It is Jillian off “Biggest Losers.” The woman is a machine and I am having a tough time making it through Level 1. It’s humiliating. She’s beating me all over the place. There’s no way I could have jumped to Level 2 or Level 3 without going through this first humbling, sweating, and out of breath level. I have to “feel the burn” to advance. I thought I was in okay before I started – not marathon okay but okay. In reality I still am not. So like you said, I had to jump in to see how bad off I was and to start making a change. I had to give myself an honest evaluation, but still do something.
Second, every pregnancy Gayle had, I broke a bone. I don’t know why. Maybe sympathy pains for her, or maybe just clumsiness. I broke my arm once – for my third born, but I broke a toe each of the others. Picture this: Gayle 8 months pregnant rolling me along in a wheel chair, our other children in tow, and me unable to walk with my broken pinky toe. I could not walk without the smallest digit on my foot.
Same with serving God. Give yourself and honest evaluation and jump on in. He blesses us when we do that, and the icing is that we bless others. Not only do we bless others, but whatever job we do, whatever the service no matter how unimportant we think it is, it is essential – from intercessory prayer to goat handling on Sunday morning. Our service is not personal – we belong to each other.
We were just talking about the body and its parts at community group Sunday night.(One of the many interesting things we covered) I was freed many years ago after studying and finding my Spiritual gifts. Through the years God has used them in different ways. However when I tried to be something I was not I was not a blessing,I may have helped but not as effectively as I would like. When I served within my giftedness it was like fitting the missing piece in the puzzle. I would challenge those who don’t know their gift to find out at the class they have at church or do a Bible study on them.
Rob, I too want to thank you for your service. No matter what the politicians or the pollsters make things seem to say, you are doing a good thing. Being away for so long… thank you for the sacrifice that you and Summer have made for our country.
It strikes me that it takes lots of people in different roles and functions to make either an army or the Church (body of Christ) effective. While the Army (and men) may base “importance” on rank (or position = CEO, Director, etc.), God does not. He does not expect me to do things I cannot do (like sing or play an instrument on stage), but he does want me to be willing to do the things that I can.
Rob, your service to our country is appreciated. Don’t for a minute otherwise.
Penny, I wanted to follow up on what you said regarding spiritual gifts. Before we moved from California this summer our church required all it’s new members to go through the spiritual gift analysis to help determine what their spiritual gifts were. (I personally think Divine Design by Chip Ingrim is an excellent tool.) The goal was so that we would each find our propper “place in the puzzle” and therefore be even more effective as a body.
What I want to emphasize is that one of the best ways to determine your spiritual gifts after doing a “test” is to jump in and work in different areas for a time. The things that you love are a huge clue to you. Also, just because my spiritual gift(s) is evangelism that does not mean I can use that as an excuse to not help in other areas if needed at times.
See, call, or nag Rob Irvine about a spiritual gifts test or class… but don’t be afraid to jump in and test some waters too.
Rob Hathcock… you are my hero! I am so glad to have you back at CCC, but thanks for going out as an ambassador of Jesus.
To everyone: Rob brought me a very cool U.S. Army official certificate recognizing my support of the troops in Iraq. The certificate was complete with a U.S. Flag patch that Rob wore on his uniform while serving. The certificate noted “Alan Scott”, but I really think it should have said “Cumberland Community Church.”
It was cool how we prayed for and emailed Rob during his time in Iraq. I also think it was very cool how people (and a small group of specific ladies) surrounded Summer (and Olivia) while she was here and away from Rob.
Way to go church. THIS is being the body of Christ to the body of Christ.
Wow Rob, Thanks for this! This totally backs up a verse that kept hitting me while on mission in Kenya recently:
Galatians 6:3-4 If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5for each one should carry his own load.
I remember constantly thinking the entire time I was preparing for the mission trip “What can I possibly do over there? What’s my purpose?” This verse hit me as God’s way of saying “I’ll show you.”
Thanks Rob. Thanks sincerely for serving our country. And thanks for your thoughts here.
As I read your words I thought that there are two kinds of people in the church. That’s right. Just two kinds. There are those who think too much of themselves and those who think too little.
OK. Never mind what I just wrote. Now I think there are three kinds of people in the church. Yes. Only three. The third group are those who don’t think of themselves at all, and just serve from the good heart God has recreated in them.
So.. .There are 3 kinds of people in the church. The first two are opposite sides of the same coin. I want to be the third.
OK. I just thought of a forth type of person in the church. There are those who divide the church into types. So… There are FOUR types of people in the church. That’s right . Just 4.
This was a really great start to my day. Hopefully it inspires everybody to serve somewhere, even just once a month and test out how God’s prepared them.
from someone who tends to be in the second group…those who think too little of themselves… I have been amazed at how much God was preparing me for ministry. I was a teacher, mom, manager of many people who worked in my classroom. All of that in my mind, was for my profession/home life. Looking back I see clearly how God was forming those skills in my life for ministry, for building of His kingdom. He has given us the skills, passion, and desire needed to be a part of the body, we just need to say yes.
Ditto….ditto…..ditto….Thanks for serving our country!
Like being deployed, I am living in a another city and I can’t physically serve at Cumberland at the present time. But I can pray. Praying is a gift we all have and can do.
Have I been praying for my church family everyday since I moved? NOT! But with “Feedoneanother” I have prayed more often……mostly prayers of thanksgiving for the beautiful body of Christ I see represented here.
I miss serving in the coffee ministry but I am delighted how God provided a new coffee ministry leader that is ….”better than I could think or hope”! For anyone who is not serving, just do it. You don’t know what you are missing.
Rob, great analysis and it is lovely to have your family as part of our church.
The “Kenyan” in me takes the second method to marathons. Lace up my old shoes…….. and take it from me, this is the wrong approach. Even those Kenyans you see winning the Peachtree every year, spend countless hours practicing.
Lately I have had to sit down and really think about what serving, servitude and service looks like in the kingdom….. I’m still thinking; I will let you know when I’m done.
God’s so awesome.
I love how this verse both puts us “in check” and also edifies.
Thank you all for your comments. I really believe that Romans chapter 12 is a gateway and guide for serving. Paul mentioned that we are all equally important bodies of Christ and I feel so liberated by that. We live in a society that puts so much stock into status and position. To embrace an idealogy that status is not relevant, could really make our community amazing. I am reminded by a quote that I constantly heard in my fraternity in college. Our alumni advisor said when people serve 80 percent of the work is done by 20 percent of the people. Over the years I have reminded myself of that I make it a point to always evaluate myself and decide which percentile am I currently falling under. I encourage all of you to do the same.
Parts of the body, parts of the church, parts that make my car run. It is all somewhat the same.
Alan challenged us all to stand up and take part of our church. To pitch in and help. We have leaders that are struggling to get it all done when there are tons of hands around to help. I took his challenge and ran with it. I am not serving in the nursery.
We all need to do our part. And when we work together, it is fun, glorifying to God, and we get much more work done. There are no small parts to play.
Having said that, may we all do our part in a way that is pleasing to the eye of Christ. May we all, in our every day lives be the example that God would want us to be.
I pray that someone asks me what has changed in my life that makes me different.
The first part of the verse reminded me of a verse that I memorized a while back. “If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” – Galatians 6:3
Expanded:
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load.” – Galatians 6:2-5
We are one in the spirit we are one in the Lord
We are one in the spirit we are one in the Lord
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love , by our love
Yes they’ll know we are Christians by our love
We will walk with each other
We will walk hand in hand
And together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land
We will work with each other we will work side by side
And we’ll guard each man’s dignity and save each man’s pride
All praise to the father from whom all things come
And all praise to Christ Jesus his only son
And all praise to the spirit
Who makes all things one.
Thought this song fit in with today’s comments.
Thanks Rob for your words.
In being honest in our evaluation of ourselves, we must be careful to not evaluate ourselves too lowly. Because of our association with Christ, we are now God’s children. God has given us our faith and He is the one who has determined which part of the body He has specifically designed us to be. Because God has designed us individually and for a specific purpose and because Christ died for us, we should not underestimate our worth.
Rob, thank you so much for your service to our Country – you are a true hero and we are so glad you are back in Georgia with your family.
In today’s reading, we are reminded to keep our self worth in check and to recognize that we are all a part of a stronger body. Each of us plays a part in serving our community and we need to recognize the part we are to play and do it with our entire heart and soul. It feels so good to be part of larger body that can make an awesome difference in our community.
As probably the final note for tonight I also want to thank you Rob and you Summer for serving our country. So many times we forget the cost to families that dedicated people make and take our freedom for granted. Again I say thank you.
So many times in the Bible we are told not to judge one another. Judging someone else is holding yourself higher than them. It is pride at its worst. I love this verse in Romans 12:3,”Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought.” So instead of thinking more highly of ourselves maybe we should spend the time as Paul shared with us in Hebrews 3:13a, “Keep encouraging one another daily, as long as it is called this day”. Hebrews 10:22-25 “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another –and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Rob…I read your posting, the scripture, and folks’ responses and find myself very thankful and humbled. Thankful for you and your service to our country – demonstrating a sacrifice that I can only intellectually understand; thankful that you and your family are not only attending CCC, but you’re engaging in life here; thankful for and humbled by all the hearts and minds of the folks that are entering in to the discussion on this website; thankful for the truth and power in God’s word and his provision; thankful for and humbled by the abundant life He’s given us and the privledge he’s given me to serve alongside the likes of you and others at CCC…with all sorts of giftings. So thanks.