A Part To Play

It occurs to me that the chief enemy of doing good in this imperfect world, of loving others, of walking in the light is that it requires effort. We actually have to do something, choose something and not just once for all but over and over again. While choosing Christ brings us salvation once for all, we are called to live out that choice moment by moment and that requires effort. It requires attention and intention so that we are stayed on Jesus and aligning ourselves with His will in every choice, every time. There really is no coasting. It is the taking up of your cross daily (Luke 9:23), putting on the full armor of God and standing your ground (Ephesians 6:13), and running the race marked out for us (Hebrews 12:1). It even requires effort to "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). We are called to be involved and engaged in what God is doing. We are not placeholders. He has a plan and a purpose for each one of us (Jeremiah 29:11) and we are to play our part.

There is a huge fear factor in that knowledge because of our fear of failure and our insecurity about our own value. We'd rather not be responsible for showing up and doing our part in case we mess it up, disappointing and perhaps even harming those who are counting on us. We'd rather just be part of the audience, part of the experience, a face in the crowd. I think this because we tend to think we are responsible for the results. But the enabling power to bear the fruit comes from God. The end of the play is not dependent on us. We are responsible for the part we are called to do so that we can share in what God has done. God doesn't need us in order to produce fruit. He wants us to share in the benefits of producing fruit.

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last... John 15:16

It takes effort to remain in God, to stay focused on Him, to follow him. But the victory has already been won, the outcome known. That knowledge should release us from the fear of ultimate failure and make the effort sustainable.