Original: December 10, 2007
McMinnville, OR
24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. Acts 20:24
17 Tell Archippus: "See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord." Colossians 4:17
I had to know.
I had to know so I asked.
I asked the one person that I knew would tell me the honest truth, even if it hurt: Shanna. For one week during Hume Lake summer camp I prayed, “Lord if I do not have a national ministry for men, please, please, take the desires and ambitions away and throw them as far as the east is from the west. But, if this is something you want me to do, please open the doors of opportunity.” The desire to make a difference in the lives of men has remained since that week of prayer so I had to ask.
I finally asked Shanna the one question.
“Honey, do you think I have the gifts to impact men on a national level?”
Her reply shocked me, “Yes, but…”
Watch out Jim! Brace yourself for the “but”! Here it comes-the TRUTH!
“But” she continued, “You have too much pride in your life.”
If you have done it before, working with students for nearly two decades is not the greatest pride builder in the world. Those who need healthy doses of self-esteem should do themselves a favor and stay as far away from youth ministry as possible.
Curious, I inquired further “What do you mean?”
“You never network. You never ask others to help you.”
There it was-honesty and truth. I hate it when she does that! She was right, and as her comment sailed out of the park as a home run I knew something in my life had to change.
No man is an island-no Kingdom oriented man that is. The Lone Ranger only exists on the television. As Stu Weber wrote, Men need to “Lock arms.”
At that moment I committed to humble myself and seek the help of others. I realized through Shanna, that my pride had hindered me from fully engaging in potentially humiliating situations. I cannot honestly say as Paul did that, “I consider my life worth nothing to me” (Acts 20:24). I confess that my life still has value and worth and is still (sadly) something my pride often fights to protect. I realize however that I must stop fighting for my life and, like Jesus, give it away to others in an act of total humility (Philippians 2:3). It is not until I surrender, or release, my life completely to Christ that I will be in a place to finish my race (Galatians 2:20, John 12:24).
If you read this verse carefully you will discover a unique parallel. Paul wants to “finish the race” but he continues to define exactly what that means by saying he must, “complete the task the Lord Jesus has given.” In other words, a man’s race is not finished at the end of his life.
It is finished at the end of his task or appointed service.
There are many men who finished their life without finishing their task. There are not, however, many men who finished their task from the Lord without finishing life.
If a man ever wants to complete the task, “The Lord Jesus has given
” it will take complete humility of heart and mind and a dogged determination to run my race to the final step and the final breath.
