WHERE'S YOUR HEART?

Where’s your heart? If you’re like me your passions change; sometimes overtime, however far too often my passions change almost daily. Should I say my passions or my interests? Perhaps my deepest passions remain fairly consistent, but my interests can fluctuate wildly. One day I am certain that I am going to write a book, the next day I am making plans to record a new CD. A week later I have momentarily forgotten those desires in favor of another project or idea. I believe the more creative an individual is the greater this instability may be.

How about you; where’s your heart? Here’s the danger of such instability; as John Lennon said, “LIFE IS WHAT HAPPENS WHILE WE’RE MAKING OTHER PLANS”. The danger is that we can become so preoccupied with what we are going to do we accomplish little or nothing of lasting value. The Apostle James reminds us, “A DOUBLE-MINDED MAN IS UNSTABLE IN ALL HIS WAYS” JAMES 1:8 I know this passage is examining the value of FAITH, but isn’t often a LACK OF FAITH that prevents us from pursuing our interests?

When the fire of enthusiasm if flaming we can get all excited about starting a task, but when the winds of doubt start challenging that flame too many of us shy away from the hard work that would produce results and allow ourselves to be drawn another direction. Many Pastors are visionaries and they are prone to envision exciting possibilities only to abandon them before the church leadership or the congregation can embrace the vision. Suddenly yesterday’s “God Vision” is passé and the new vision is all the rage at least in the Pastor’s mind.

Churches as a whole can fall victim to such shifts. This week we’re going to be a “Purpose-Driven Church”, next week we’re going to be a “Missionary-Church” and again the next week, we’re going to be a “worship-led church”. The sadness is while we’re busy making our plans; life happens; millions of souls are lost all around us, babies go to bed hungry, somebody’s daughter sells herself, body and soul for a little more dope. While we’re busy building a better net, the fish are being loss.

I passed a construction site this morning; a big church is building an even bigger building. Ironically, as I was looking at the piles of construction supplies which will become the new “church” a homeless man shuffled by. Disheveled, weary and already warm on what promises a very hot day; he carried all his worldly good in to plastic grocery bags in his hands. He nodded at me and he too looked at the impressive structure being built. I wonder what he thought about it. Do you think the homeless man is as excited about the new church as the Pastor or the congregation? What are we doing with our lives, our time, and our finances? Who are we building our “ministries” for? Who do we hope to reach? When do we stop dreaming and begin doing the work of God?

For the second day this week, as I look out my window, the police have a man spread eagle against a car in the parking lot next door; church, whose impacting that man’s life? Has he ever had the opportunity to encounter a person of faith who has encountered the living God?

Church, we’re NOT impacting our world; something’s wrong, so I will ask you again; where’s your heart?