I recently read that among Leonardo Da Vinci’s last words he said, "I have offended God and mankind because my work did not reach the quality it should have." I have to admit, reading that made me feel a bit insecure (as I sit on the couch watching American Idol and know that I would never stand a chance to ‘go to Hollywood baby!’) I mean if an obvious genius saw a failure to reach his “expected” potential, where does that leave me?
Well, fortunately God will not hold me accountable for being like Leonardo Da Vinci, just for being like me. That may sound simple enough (for those who know me), but even in this small task I can get baffled and wonder how I should invest my life. Is it as a father, husband, pastor or friend? Is it in teaching, counseling, singing (well I already touched on that), or maybe it is to develop my business and career and be successful. How can I know what I should do so that in the end looking back I’m not haunted that I have offended God or mankind?
Ephesians 2 says “that we are created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Some believe these words paint a picture of a narrow bridge with exacting specifications of what God wants us to do, but Kenneth Wuest says… ‘The word “walk” is “to regulate one’s life, to conduct one’s self, to order one’s behavior. We are to order our behavior within the sphere of these good works.’ So instead of this being a narrow path with only a few choices that we have to try and find, this is really more like a four lane highway with good works as a guardrail. So I don’t have to be paranoid whether this is “the” thing I am to do, instead, just start doing something good! Can you really imagine God saying … “Why did you help all those orphans? I wanted you to work at the old folk’s home!” I don’t think so.
So instead of trying to find the “one” thing you are to do, practice doing what good you can right now, right where you’re at, with the people you find around you now. Be a better dad, mom, co-worker, boss or friend. You may start off like Philip in Acts 6 taking care of the money issues for the widows and end up an evangelist responsible for the gospel message reaching Ethiopia or like Stephen who started out the same, became the first Christian martyr and left a mark on Saul who would later be known as the apostle Paul who left a mark on the entire world.
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 ( NIV )
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