Sell Outs and Settlers

I'm going to be honest friends. I get frustrated with the people I love and value because I care so much about them and I see their potential. I see all that God could do through them if they would relinquish control, step up, and get in the game.

Can you relate friends? Do you have people in your life you would invest the whole enchilada in, but they won't invest a side of beans in themselves? For whatever reason, they do not see their potential nor live up to their purpose. They settle for mediocre living and give up before the fight has even begun. They always have an excuse and will defend their decisions and actions because they truly do not believe they are short changing themselves. Honestly I don't think they wake up expecting much to happen because they do not believe God will show up and do something amazing.

I wish I could figure out a way to get them to see they could be so much more and they do not need to settle for average. We are all beautiful in the eyes of Christ and we all have been created for a divine purpose. We all have the right to call upon a strength from heaven to transform our families, communities, and nation. So why do some of us settle? Why do we shrug off the tedious tasks we are called to do and not see the joy in service through humbly making the mundane tasks a priority?

There is one difference between those who settle and those who strive to be 100% sold out in love with Christ. Settlers focus on what they feel. Sell outs focus on what He commanded. He commanded us to love Him with everything we are, not if we feel like it or if it is fun or fits into our schedule. Love Christ and love others that's the command.

Sell outs see the bigger picture and the small tedious tasks along the way are done out of devotion to a God who sacrificed everything and held nothing back. Sell outs with glad and sincere hearts do what their head says is pointless because the task matters to someone and they see the bigger picture and think about the needs of others when their needs could be so easily be dismissed.

Settlers, on the other hand, live in the moment. Not thinking about how their actions are perceived and because of this, they are constantly misunderstood and never fully known or appreciated. They value people and relationships, but their laissez-faire attitude and last minute approach make people feel like their needs are not important and the task does not matter. Settlers feel unvalued and disconnected from others and they are always on the defense because they have bought satan's lie that they are inadequate so they are fearful and insecure. Settlers can be so much more but choose to not put in the work it takes for great things to happen and hard work to multiply their efforts by His grace and goodness. They do not buy into work hard now but settle for what they have instead of putting in the time to build what God has intended for them later.

We all have our moments of hardship and situations or tasks that we dread doing but it is in these moments and situations we are truly defined and prove to be dependable. Their complacency and average living ripples out to the ones they love and serve. It sets a low standard of what God expects   cultivating lives that are a rushed thrown together offering to the Lord. It's sad and hard to watch the ones you believe in, settle.

If you want to do great things in your life, surround yourself with people who strive for greatness in the Lord. Allow someone to speak truth into your life and model Christ and His desire for mankind.

What ripples out of your life? Do you aspire others to live and love radically by your actions? Are you reliable and dependable able to get the job done no matter how trivial the task? Or do you loll others into a false since of security and accomplishment by "just getting by" or  doing an "ok job". Do you live like you possess the same spirit who caused blind men to see and caused dry bones to live again?

Dear friend you were created for a divine purpose. You have the gift of the Holy Spirit living in you, working for you to bring about God's glory.  The spirit that lives in us is greater than anything in this world and perfectly capable of showing up everyday in our lives to do amazing things if we call upon Him to be our driving force, strength, and support. Sell out to Christ and His purpose for your life. Live life everyday doing all tasks fixated on the One you are truly working for. Allow the Holy Spirit to show up and ripple through the lives of those around you so the offering of your life is fragrant and sweet. Don't settle. Sell out and celebrate because He has equipped each of us for greatness by His strength and for His glory.

Let our lives be fragrant offerings for you Jesus. Do the impossible in our lives and testify to your grace in goodness through our actions and deeds. Awaken those who have settled and energize those who are sold out. In your name I pray. Amen.