Notes from Pastor Mark Beeson..... something to think about

Empathy is easy. Investment is hard.

I'm not so sure that's a bad thing.

When I'm pouring out my life, I'm exchanging my remaining days for some purpose or cause. My ability to stay engaged is in correlation with my conviction of it's worth. In other words, my ability to continue making a sacrificial investment is fueled by my sense of its importance.

I can say I care about our environment (remember, God's first directive mandated we "tend the Garden"), but if I don't care enough I'll toss trash out my car window.

I can claim I care about our new site in Elkhart (knowing Jesus commanded we "go make disciples"), but I'm not likely to offer prayer, time and money to the effort if I don't care a lot.

I might say I love Jesus (aware the most important commandment is that we "Love the Lord") but the investment of my life in worship, service and devotion to His Kingdom is unlikely if I don't care enough to act.

Whether we say we treasure children, care about the poor, love justice or cherish honesty the truth is obvious. It's easy to say we care. It's hard to care enough to act.

Our problem isn't that we care. Our problem is that we don't care enough to do something to make a positive contribution.

What we really care about, we'll support.
What we truly value, we'll give our lives to accomplish.
Supreme love empowers absolute devotion.

So today I'm praying I'll love what God loves, value what Jesus values, and cherish what our Lord declares worthy. Like the kids reading their Bibles in this picture, we need to read the scriptures to know what God values. Otherwise we might give our hearts to some cause that's simply not worthy of us.

There is a cost to caring.

James 2:14-17 - My brothers and sisters, if people say they have faith, but do nothing, their faith is worth nothing. Can faith like that save them? A brother or sister in Christ might need clothes or food. If you say to that person, “God be with you! I hope you stay warm and get plenty to eat,“ but you do not give what that person needs, your words are worth nothing. In the same way, faith that is alone—that does nothing—is dead.