Habits of Effective Christians by Rick Brumback You may be familiar with Dr. Stephen Covey’s book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. If implemented, this plan proposes to be a blueprint for personal development. It would seem to be true that there is a need for some plan for becoming highly effective and blessed servants of God. Are there some elements that, if simply identified and pursued, would help us to be more faithful in all circumstances, more joyous in all of life’s ups and downs, and more confident in our path of life? Perhaps a straightforward but useful approach would be to consider some servants of Jehovah who were effective in their work for Him. Here are several: 1. Mary and Joseph, the parents of Jesus (Luke 1 :26ff). Imagine being this woman who received an amazing visit from the angel Gideon – she was to be a great part of the unfolding plan of redemption. Although worried at first, together with her husband, Joseph, they fulfilled their mission (Matt. 1:18-25 ). Why might they have been chosen? Could it be that they would provide an atmosphere in which their son Jesus could be reared to know and love God? Certainly they would not have been chosen in spite of wickedness. Would the parable of the talents pertain here? I believe God knew they would be faithful. They certainly trusted the Lord and He walked with them. (Matt. 2 :13ff.). Not only did He communicate His plans, but He also warned them and led them to safety in Egypt. Then He led them back to Galilee. They could say truly, “God was with us.” 2. Paul, the Servant of Christ. He was reared to know God and thought he was doing Jehovah’s will in persecuting the church. However, he had an encounter with Christ and learned his error, and that he was called to a new course. Ananias was to speak with Paul and tell him of his mission. “But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake” (Acts 9:15-16 ). It was necessary that he learn there was a new law to follow, and when this was understood, he committed himself to it. This was “the law of the Spirit of life” (Rom. 8:2 ). As we read in Acts and elsewhere, he was continually reminded the Lord was with Him. This does not mean that he was spared all difficulties, nor that he was welcomed everywhere he went. But he did not interpret such earthly challenges as abandonment by God. He did enjoy the fellowship and support of the church, God’s family. 3. The final figure we consider is Joshua (Jos. 1:1-18 ). Stepping into the footsteps of Moses, he took up leadership of the people with a well-defined mission (v. 6) He also needed to be a leader committed personally to following the law of God operative at that time, which became for him a well-defined standard (v. 7-8). There was the need for him to be reminded that God was to be with him, so there was a well recognized support in God (v. 9). Finally, He benefited from the well-recognized encouragement from the people of God (v.18). What we have seen in these three, and I think could be found in various other figures we might examine, are these four, as general categories: 1) they had a God they served in a definitive way (a mission); 2) they had a way they knew they were to live (a message); 3) they had the encouragement of God’s company (a reassurance of divine support); and 4) they benefited from, though I do not think they would have had to have it, the reassurance of brotherly support. As we contemplate our work as dedicated and effective Christian servants, we would do well to ask whether we are cultivating these habits and dependencies. Consider each one: 1. Mission. We should not be misled to think there is some still, small voice calling us in this regard, as some believe. Nor should we think that a sense of mission necessarily denotes extensive, demanding, visible modes of service. The small, daily choices that seemingly influence only a few, or only ourselves, are a part of our Christian mission. We are here for God! (Gal. 2:20 ). Everything in life can be done for His glory. We can be a good friend, because the Lord would want that; be a conscientious employee, or good mate, or good parent; be someone who can return good for evil. These are “missions” because God calls us to live this way. 2. Message. We cannot be good disciples if we have not disciplined our mind. Discipline is a great word. It may strike terror in the hearts of children, but it should not necessarily do even that. It relates to the matter of training. You and I cannot be effective disciples if we discount or dismiss His word. We need to discipline ourselves to lead our personal lives with the same commitment to God’s standard as we might if we were leading an entire nation. Mary and Joseph did; Paul did; Joshua did. We are not to deviate from His word, either to right or to the left. Effective and joyous disciples fill their minds with the word of the Lord, meditating, doing, and ultimately prospering. Many want that last without the former; it does not work that way. Adopting God’s principles may be a departure from the ways you have thought and acted in the past, but put His ways to the test. See if they are not better as advice and guidance. 3. Reassurance of divine support. Perhaps you have heard someone say that they feel distant from God, as if He were not present in their lives. Maybe that is because of some recent calamity. And we can understand the impulse, while we remind that many have endured challenges without being apart from God. The presence of difficulties should not be equated to being abandoned. Maybe it is because they have not lived as they should. James 4:7-8 gives the key to handling this situation: “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” What good parent would abandon their children? Certainly not the Father. But we need not be discouraged simply because we cannot at this moment put our arms around Him, as we can one another. We become so tied to the tactile, the here and now visible, that we forget there are things that are real we cannot see. Like the Father. That does not mean He is not present with us. 4. Reassurance of brotherly support. I will admit this may be a luxury rather than a reality at times. Sometimes there are not faithful brethren around. This truth should help us realize how valuable good brethren are. And as we may be accustomed to seeing ourselves as the recipients, we should also see ourselves as the supporters for others. This is a blessing we can offer to one another. There is a reason we are called the family of God. We are to support the good and resist the bad, encouraging one another along the way. This means in our works, our daily lives, our upholding of the Gospel and the demand that all submit to Heaven’s law. It is so true that effective, loving brethren and congregations interact with and support one another. It is the dysfunctional ones that do not. We really do want to look back and be assured of a life well-spent. We do not want to have regrets, because life does not come with mulligans or do-overs. Why not understand the keys to successful living in the Lord, and commit to them. Might it be hard to uphold them sometimes? Yes. Will it be too hard? No. And in the end, such is what we were meant to do. We could certainly add Jesus Himself to our list of figures above, and of Him Paul said, “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:8 ).
Posted on: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 09:37:28 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015