Being Versus Doing Part Quatro

The thing about being vs doing is that it releases me to be who I really am.

Take this weekend, for instance. On Sunday afternoon I led the funeral service of a seventeen year old named Nick who died of an overdose. It was a terrible tragedy.

I don't consider myself to be very good in those situations that require an intense amount of shepherding -- I'm just not a natural shepherd-type person. My pastor in St Louis, Clint, is an awesome shepherd. He really connects with people at those darkest times of their emotional trauma and brings a lot of love and hope.

Do you know what my naturaly reaction is at a funeral? Anger.

Anger because it is not supposed to be this way. I don't know personally if Nick knew Jesus or not. Praise God that his mom says he did. All I know is that here is this beautiful young life with so much potential for the honor and glory that God made it for (Psalm 8), and it is violently ripped from us. This is not how it was suppposed to be. Nick should still be here, skateboarding and dreaming about a souped-up Volkswagen, not lying on his bedroom floor breathing his last breath because of cocaine.

I stood before a packed house at the funeral home...standing room only, mostly teenagers, and the primary emotion in my spirit was anger. But it was righteous anger, it wasn't sin. And because it was right, it didn't come out wrong. I think God used me on Sunday because I was being who God made me to be. If I had tried to change to fit a mold of "doing" like I had seen others doing, or like some class in seminary tries to teach me, I don't think I would have connected with the hearts of the people there.

The point is this...be fully who God made you to be. The thing is, the only way to be that is to deeply engage God intimately so that He can define you on the deepest level. The more superficial your relationship with God, the more you will do instead of be and the more empty you will be in the places you were meant to feel life most deeply.