Live, Give, Representative

At any given moment, you are to be about . . . what? All the time, you and I are to live, give or serve as a representative. Live, give, representative.

Live: Much of life is just, well, living. In order to feed one’s family, one either needs to work, or go to the grocery store or garden. The car ride or working or shopping or picking is just life. But I am to live that life, enjoying God. Living it with Him, and more than it - in Him, enjoying Him in it. We only enjoy the things of earth if we enjoy them in Him. Only then do they not become idols. Only then does my enjoyment not metastasize into trying to squeeze the blood of life from the turnips of the things of earth. We all must drive, do laundry, help with homework, attend work meetings, check the mail, shop. We all have ice cream to eat, parks to enjoy, TV we can watch, coins to collect, yellow-leaf hikes to take. Life. We have too much money and stuff, or enough, or not enough, depending on the Lord’s apportionment. True enjoyment in each season comes obliquely, by enjoying Him in it all.

Give: I am learning to enjoy life in Him. What growth I have experienced I owe to Him - through praying for it, to discoveries in the Word, and to being with other people who enjoy Him in their living more than me. And so, so often, I’ve grown most when all three of these converge: when others have given of themselves, by thoughtfully praying for and with me, and sharing the Word and applying the Word with me, and by living their life close enough to mine so that I could see their enjoyment of Him in life. They were and are givers - givers of God, to me.

And God so structures the kingdom that receivers become givers themselves (2 Cor. 1:4). The beloved love. We give others grace that connects to their living. One bit of God, to one moment of another’s brief but important history. We live in His love, truth and generosity; we give of His love, truth and generosity.

Representative: And in our living and giving, we represent Him. This involves much sovereign serendipity. Who can predict how we will represent him to our neighbors today? Will my gifts be sufficient? No! His power will do it. Remembering this, I’m filled with contentment in my lack, and optimism of what He will do.