What's important?

Sylvan's Request

"Will you color with me?" asked Sylvan.

"Not right now, I'm going to go do..."

something important.

I went to do something I needed to do, didn't I?

Oh no.

What a glorious invitation I passed on today.

I could have colored!

I never color anymore.

I saw I wasn't good at coloring, so I stopped.

Growing up is dangerous like that.

It's so easy to forget that playing isn't competing,

so easy to confuse the serious with the important

or the skillful with the valuable.

Sylvan wanted to color while Leo played in a cardboard box

and Violette carefully balanced a pillow on her head.

How silly they are.

How wonderfully, worshipfully, beautifully silly!

But me?

Well, I had to do something important.

~Nathan Bubna

I almost passed on an opportunity to play ping pong with a kid while volunteering on Monday night. I had already played ping pong with this kid and he left the family center for what I thought was the night. I picked up a book and started reading and then he showed up again about fifteen minutes later wanted to play again. I said, "I'm going to read for a bit." Then I took a look across the room at the kid having to sit there and watch the kids on the ddr. I felt bad and decided to take him up on the game. I kicked his butt!

Kids are worth putting time into. Sometimes we may think we have better things to do. More often than not that may even be true. But when we consider the privilege of being invited while they are still interested in playing with us...that's priceless.

GIT-R-DONE!!

Then I heard the voice of the LORD saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8)

Here's a situation that may seem familiar to you: In class or bible study, your teacher/pastor asks a question about something you aren't quite sure about. The teacher/pastor starts looking around the room for someone to answer it. You slink down in your seat, trying to make yourself invisible--praying that you won't be picked. Ever had an experience like that?

Unfortunately, many believers react the same way when it comes time to serve God. When they see a need or a service opportunity, they do everything they can to make themselves invisible, hoping that God will pick someone else to get involved.

And that's a mistake.

You see, Christian service isn't just about helping others. It's about pleasing God and drawing closer to him. The best way to strengthen your bond with your heavenly Father is through obedient acts of service. If you decline the opportunities he gives you to serve him, you're the one who will lose in the long run.

Will you be that person? Will you step up to the plate like Isaiah did and say, "Here am I--send me"? Don't let excuses like busyness or inexperience stand in your way. Few people have enough free time to get involved in service projects. People who are serious about service make time. And most people who volunteer for service work have no idea what they're doing. However, they learn very quickly that when God calls someone, he also equips that person. He will not let a small matter such as lack of experience stand in the way of his work being done.

So what are you waiting for? It's time to volunteer!

Read more on Isaiah's assignment from God in Isaiah 6:1-13.

Adapted from "Revolution Devotional" by Livingstone Corporation