Being or Doing?
What is better in God’s eyes?
I believe that His statement: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” answers the question.
I remember one trip when I was a youth minister where the adult leaders were asked: “What are the things that have most excited you about youth ministry this past year?”
One after another, people stood up and shared: We went on a mission trip. We did a service project. We performed a special choir musical for our church. We did this, or We did that.
As I listened, I thought, “I’m not sure these are the things that we ought to be “most” excited about.”
There was no mention of life change, salvation, or deeper discipleship.
It seems most of us were excited about the things we were doing.
Not about the things our students were “being.”
A tragedy.
What we ought to be most excited about are the changes we see in the people around us as they spend more time developing the character traits of Jesus.
In our “busy” society, we seem to believe that the more we “do” for someone, the better. That leads us to think that the more we “do” for the church, the more God appreciates it.
But is that truly the case?
Or can we be in the habit of “doing” in such a way that it is not an honor to God?
God doesn’t want you doing Christian things, without embracing His character traits.
He desires mercy, because He is a merciful God.
He desires love, because He is love.
He desires patience, because He is the most patient.
He desires purity, because He is a God of holiness.
There are many verses where God indicates His frustration with His people for how much they were “doing for Him” without “being” the people He had called them to be.
(here are some of those passages, if you care to read any of them:
1 Samuel 15:22; Ps 40:6-8; Ps 50:7-15; Ps 51:15-17; Isaiah 1:11-16a; Hos 6:6; Amos 5:21-24; Micah 6:6-8)
What does God want from you?
Does He desire that you do things for His kingdom?
Sure, but not if you refuse to develop His character.
Let’s make sure our “being” matches us with our “doing.”