WLJ wk 1: Own It

OCT 3 - OCT 9 2010  — WALK LIKE JESUS week 1: OWN IT  — ISSUE 174

Well, ladies and gents, it's October again, and we all know what that means. No, not baseball playoffs. And it's not that once-a-year opportunity to justify some hideous outfit you purchased 10 years ago by now calling it a Halloween costume, either. No, October is campaign month in the Church, and this one's all about Jesus, so you know it's gonna' be a good one. The challenges are modest in quantity, but hefty in commitment and filled with the promise of a large spiritual payout.

These campaigns will only affect us if we take them on with a personal conviction, though. If we don't embrace these challenges and goals and make them our own, but instead just "follow suit" or do them to "be a part of the 'team'", we'll undoubtedly fall short of achieving some, if not all of them — excuses come a lot easier when you don't really care about something — and we won't see much personal growth or success. It is only through personal conviction that our faith will stand the test of time, and likewise, challenges such as these will fall victim to our moods, emotions, and physical states if won't don't internalize them. Just ask Ecuador's president, Rafael Correa, if you don't believe me. His beliefs didn't translate to everyone, and when his and the government's goals weren't held by all in the country, pure chaos ensued; the objective fell apart.

This month we focus on Christ, the greatest example ever given for personalizing a goal not of our own brewing. Time and time again He stated this was His Father's will, and that what He spoke was given to Him by God. He struggled with it at times, (you don't sweat drops of blood over a minor inconvenience) but ultimately He made it His own. So it was only by believing in God's cause, in what God was fighting so hard to convey and accomplish for us, that He was able to endure so much ridicule, persecution, and ultimately a violent and terrible death. He took God's goal as far as anyone could, and it was only by making it His that such a feat was possible.

PHILIPPIANS 3:10-15

This month, let's seek to be more like Christ. Let's take every challenge tossed our way, realizing their intention is to bring us closer to our Savior and to shape us ever more in God's image, and make them our own. Let's leave this month knowing we did everything we could to be like Him, not regretting opportunities missed and chances lost.

Brett "I have a goal of cleaning my bathroom, you should really make it your own so I can finally get it done" Hibbler