"Taking Ownership"

I've realized as I've watched younger or less-experience musicians there is a marked difference between playing an instrument and having ownership of it. What do I mean by this?

If you play an instrument and only know how to put it together and produce a sound with it, you know how to play it. If you know how to change your strings, pads, heads, lugs, etc., make minor repairs and adjustments, you have ownership - you can make corrections and, therefore, can be proactive with regards to the life and quality of your instrument.

My wife and I have been learning the same thing with regards to our house. We are learning we need to do more than just live in (play) it: we need to be able to do the things that would allow us to make our corrective mark on it.

I much prefer to call our house a "home," however to me this connotes ownership, the leaving of one's proactive, corrective mark (although I will continue to call it a "home" because it feels better!).

The same may be said of the Christian life. It is not enough to merely exist as Christians, going through each day as if it were the next in a cycle of laborious chores or tasks to accomplish. We must be proactive in our faith, taking responsibility and ownership for our development, not remaining complacent or content to rest on the laurels of past glories or the faith of others.

We must take up our cross as commanded by Christ ("...If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." Luke 9:23), and heed St. Paul's words to "...press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3:14)

Let us pursue ownership of all that to which God has called us, for His glory and the furthering of the kingdom.

"Were They Ignoring Me?"

This past Tuesday morning was absolutely beautiful in Central Kansas, so I decided to venture out on our front porch/stoop with a cup of coffee and a piece of biscotti for a few minutes to commune with God through nature.

As I sat there enjoying my Starbucks-influenced "communion," several vehicles passed by. I looked at each one, seeing who was driving, what kind of vehicle, color, etc. and I noticed something odd: not one person looked at me.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be prideful. However in our neck of town to see someone sitting out on their stoop around 8:15a on a Tuesday is a little unusual. Adding to the matter I was wearing a yellow hooded sweatshirt sitting in front of our red front door. I figured some combination of these factors should have prompted at least a casual glance. But, no - every person drove right on by.

For their own safety I'm glad they didn't look, I mean, who wants to be the reason for an accident? Not me! However I did wonder: Did they see me? Were they ignoring me?

Then I felt the Lord say, "Now you know how I feel many times."

As Christians we can get trapped in tunnel vision and ignore God sitting/standing/laying on the side of the road as we go off to do "the work of the Lord."

May we take time to glance for God...