Dale Cresap's blog

Do you like to visit new places or old favorites? Places you have been before are known quantities. New ones have a greater sense of adventure but also the associated risk of moving into the unknown. Perhaps the best of both worlds is to go to new places with a friend who has been there before, who can serve as your guide. Whether you like to travel or not, you are moving into an unknown future. Here there is no choice but to consider it a new experience. Would you like a guide? I do not face the same limitations of time that you do.

Do you understand the importance of being empathetic and compassionate? I have called you to bear one another’s burdens. Do you have enough trouble carrying your own? Have you ever taken on someone’s burden and staggered under the weight of it, to the point of being crushed? This is a real concern. There are some burdens you were not meant to bear. You will have enough strength for those given to you. So this is not a matter of strength, but wisdom. Be led by the Spirit and ask me which burdens I want you to take on.

Do you encounter a multitude of worthy causes? Each of them may be understaffed and crying out for additional money and effort to advance it. Do you find that your own resources are limited and you are not able to support them all? You can acknowledge that a task is worthwhile without giving yourself to it. You can admire and applaud the efforts of others while you attend to the work that is your own. Do you live with a sense of destiny, that you have your own calling and purpose, and that the tasks that I assign to you are your own true mission? These I will enable you to complete.

Do you listen to other people for the purpose of refuting them or to learn from them? These are exclusive categories since you can’t do both at once. Have you ever had anyone listen to you for the purpose of refuting you? How would you know? Yet is there anything more obvious? This leads to no communication but rather a downward spiral of argument. You can score points in this situation, but no one really wins, for victory comes at the cost of alienating your brother. Why would you agree with your adversary?

Are you prepared to render first aid? First aid training is offered on the premise that those in emergency medical situations need immediate help. The person near at hand who can stop the bleeding is more helpful than the doctor far away. Relatively little training is required to save a life while more advanced care is on the way. Can you extend this principle beyond medical situations? What about spiritual ones? Are you prepared to offer spiritual first aid? In the routine course of your life you will meet people with immediate spiritual needs.

Do you see the gospel as primarily a positive or negative message? In some sports, like golf, you want as low a score as possible. In most sports you want to score as many points as possible to win. In comparison to the Christian faith, you would want a low score for sins, and a high score for love, faithfulness, generosity, righteous works, and other virtues and spiritual fruits. If both are important, which is more important? The answer to this question indicates whether the gospel is a positive or negative message.

Are you familiar with the idea of reserves? You may practice it. Are you aware of how much gas you have in your car and add fuel before you run out? Do you have some money available for emergencies? This concept applies in many areas. Can you think of others? What about a reserve of grace? Have you ever felt depleted by a series of extreme demands? Grace isn’t something you can measure and save like gallons and dollars, yet you still know people who seem to have a larger reserve to draw on than others.

Are you a leader? Do you assume that there are few leaders and many followers and if you are not a leader then you are a follower? Everyone can and should be both, and you should look for both aspects in your own life. I was impressed with a Centurion who had understanding not because he had men under him, but because he was a man under authority. Do you assume that you must be a follower rather than a leader because you cannot identify any direct followers? Even if you don’t have a title and an office I have still given you a realm in which you can exert influence.

Would you do your job any differently if you had the authority and resources to do it any way you wanted and total responsibility for the outcome? This is a relatively recent concept in the world of commerce and is referred to as empowerment. But it has been around a long time in the Kingdom of God. Have I not given you the authority to act in my name from the very first? Have I not promised to grant all your requests and to provide you with all the resources you need to do all that I have commanded you? I told you to occupy until I return.

Do you ever seek solitude? Do you ever feel the need to get away from the noise and activity of the crowd? Even I was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, and later went into the desert to pray, and the founders of faith traditions went away from human company to encounter God. Do you do this because you find people to be annoying? Yet you are called to love your neighbor and your brother. In fact loving God and loving your neighbor are inseparable. It is too easy to think you love your brother when he is not around.