Monday, February 22, 2010

Who you callin' an Active Reactor?

What makes you act? Not Hollywood acting but the protect, care, love, hurt, help kind of act?

Act = "The process of doing or performing something."
React = "to act in return or reciprocally"

Are you a self-motivator who sets goals, makes a plan and achieves them without needing anyone to tell you what to do?

Are you someone who goes along with no purpose until you have to react to an event, attack, encouragement or presented need?

Most of us are somewhere in the middle.

We're Active Reactors.

(I think I made that up. It was floating around in my head this morning. Anyway.)

We act by performing our jobs, providing for our families, paying our bills, without outside input or motivation, but when it comes to stepping outside our own bubbles, reaching out to act before we're asked or made aware of a need we struggle. We can barely keep up with our family's needs and we're just doing our best to "survive". Instead of acting on our own to reach out, we are most often reactors here.

Me too. Most days I'm just trying to stay ahead of the daily expectations....,
family, job, home, health. If I see a need on the prayer list or a phone call, email, TV brings one to my attention, I react and do the best I can to help, care, advocate and communicate. Who has time to look around for more things to do?It's hard enough to keep our own family safe, together and well, how can we be expected to look out for someone else? Right? We can't save the world.

Okay then. Fine. We agree. We're off the hook. Phew.

But if I look into my heart, I really don't want to be off the hook. More importantly, as a believer that should not be a relief. I should not be satisfied with just surviving in my world. God's word says so many times in so many ways that we should reach out:

serve one another in love
(Gal. 5:13),
whatever you did for the least of these you did for me (Matt. 25:34-40)
spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Heb. 10:21)
seek justice, encourage the oppressed (Isa. 1:17)
Romans chapter 12 speaks on this.

So, none of us are called to save the world. We are called to make a difference where we are for Christ. If each of us act daily and share His goodness and love, the world will be saved by knowing Him. If each day we just look around and find even one need to meet or one friend to encourage or one cause that to reach out to and make a difference for in Jesus name He wins.

Even within our bubble we can reach out to our child or parent or spouse with more than our every day effort. A note, a hug, a quiet moment of time that is just for them.

Pray for me as I pray with you to ACT.
Find whoever God is calling us to reach out to today. Where can we
speak His name
send a note
give a hug
listen only
give money
admit to your spouse you were wrong
give time
call just to say HI
tell a teenager they are right
text a Bible verse
visit a patient
tell a parent what a great kid they have
thank a teacher
say I love you
praise a child

Think of one thing you would just love to have someone do for you and then ask God to bring to mind the person who needs you to do this for them, then ACT.

It would be a blessing to hear and share your comments on what act you chose today.

Love and Purpose in Christ,
Amy




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