Carrying Christ

From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him. You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways. Behold, you were angry, and we sinned; in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved? We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. (Isaiah 64:4-6 ESV). I found the following illustration to use as a springboard for a thought about being foolish: The donkey awakened, his mind still savoring the afterglow of the most exciting day of his life. Never before had he felt such a rush of pleasure and pride. He walked into town and found a group of people by the well. "I’ll show myself to them," he thought. But they didn’t notice him. They went on drawing their water and paid him no mind. "Throw your garments down," he said crossly. "Don’t you know who I am?" They just looked at him in amazement. Someone slapped him across the tail and ordered him to move. "Miserable heathens!" he muttered to himself. "I’ll just go to the market where the good people are. They will remember me." But the same thing happened. No one paid any attention to the donkey as he strutted down the main street in front of the market place. "The palm branches! Where are the palm branches!" he shouted. "Yesterday, you threw palm branches!" Hurt and confused, the donkey returned home to his mother. "Foolish child," she said gently. "Don’t you realize that without Him, you are just an ordinary donkey?" It is foolish to think we are something we are not. Just like the donkey that carried Jesus in Jerusalem, we are most fulfilled when we are in the service of Jesus Christ. Without him, all our best efforts are like "filthy rags" and amount to nothing. When we lift up Christ, however, we are no longer ordinary people, but key players in God’s plan to redeem the word. Even the simplest of tasks, the smallest of ministries, is a great gift when centered in Christ. Regardless of what you may be called upon to do in Christ’s name, do it knowing that it will be a great blessing to someone. Look for an opportunity to carry Jesus into the lives of others today. It may be a kind word, a small gesture of encouragement, or merely a smile that carries the message of Christ to others today, however, doesn’t miss the chance to give that gift!