Enough Isn't Enough
I do enough.
Why don't other people do some more than they do?
Why can't you do as much as I do?
I deserve a break.
Why do I have to do everything?
No, I am not just complaining today. I am listing some of the things that we all think sometimes. Even when it comes to serving God. And I am not talking just what we do in church, or just what we do as "ministry", though we know we've all thought these things a time or two in those cases. I am talking about the servant is not above his Master, whoever would be great must serve, good and faithful, big picture, this is how I live my life as a Christian kind of serving.
I am talking everything from the "that guy just cut me off and gave me the one finger salute but I am not going to get angry because I am a Christian" kind of stuff to the "I am being mocked for my faith and horribly insulted and my reputation is being hurt but I am going to love this person because I am a Christian" kind of serving God. The kind of servant we all want to be.
But sometimes we get tired. Sometimes we feel like the only one walking the straight-and-narrow. Sometimes we see other Christians return that salute or return insults and we wonder: "why do I have to do the right thing if they don't?"
And then it happens. We decide we've done enough. This time I am going to cut finger-boy off and slam on my brakes (not that I would do such a thing... I've heard about other people doing it...). This time, I am going to rip this ignorant jerk to shreds and insult him to the point that he walks home crying like a little girl. I am not gonna take this. I deserve a break. Why do I have to do everything?? ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!
But we need to remember something, or, more accurately, Someone.
Jesus gave up His glory, and He didn't say it was enough.
Jesus made Himself nothing, and He didn't say it was enough.
God was born as a man, and He didn't say it was enough.
Jesus, God the Son, took on the form of a servant, and He didn't say it was enough.
He humbled Himself and became obedient, and He didn't say it was enough.
He died on the cross, for us - for me and for you - taking our punishment, taking our sin away forever. He died on the cross despised and rejected, and He never fought back. He died on the cross as people shook their heads and wagged their finger in His face and He prayed for them. And He did it all for us.
Jesus never did just enough. He did it all.
My prayer is that we will never again believe the lie that we have done enough. I pray that we would always remember Who it is that made us who we are. He did it all. He paid it all. He is all in all. Rather than ever believe that enough is enough, we need to ever believe that He is enough.
Why don't other people do some more than they do?
Why can't you do as much as I do?
I deserve a break.
Why do I have to do everything?
No, I am not just complaining today. I am listing some of the things that we all think sometimes. Even when it comes to serving God. And I am not talking just what we do in church, or just what we do as "ministry", though we know we've all thought these things a time or two in those cases. I am talking about the servant is not above his Master, whoever would be great must serve, good and faithful, big picture, this is how I live my life as a Christian kind of serving.
I am talking everything from the "that guy just cut me off and gave me the one finger salute but I am not going to get angry because I am a Christian" kind of stuff to the "I am being mocked for my faith and horribly insulted and my reputation is being hurt but I am going to love this person because I am a Christian" kind of serving God. The kind of servant we all want to be.
But sometimes we get tired. Sometimes we feel like the only one walking the straight-and-narrow. Sometimes we see other Christians return that salute or return insults and we wonder: "why do I have to do the right thing if they don't?"
And then it happens. We decide we've done enough. This time I am going to cut finger-boy off and slam on my brakes (not that I would do such a thing... I've heard about other people doing it...). This time, I am going to rip this ignorant jerk to shreds and insult him to the point that he walks home crying like a little girl. I am not gonna take this. I deserve a break. Why do I have to do everything?? ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!
But we need to remember something, or, more accurately, Someone.
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:5-8
Jesus gave up His glory, and He didn't say it was enough.
Jesus made Himself nothing, and He didn't say it was enough.
God was born as a man, and He didn't say it was enough.
Jesus, God the Son, took on the form of a servant, and He didn't say it was enough.
He humbled Himself and became obedient, and He didn't say it was enough.
He died on the cross, for us - for me and for you - taking our punishment, taking our sin away forever. He died on the cross despised and rejected, and He never fought back. He died on the cross as people shook their heads and wagged their finger in His face and He prayed for them. And He did it all for us.
Jesus never did just enough. He did it all.
My prayer is that we will never again believe the lie that we have done enough. I pray that we would always remember Who it is that made us who we are. He did it all. He paid it all. He is all in all. Rather than ever believe that enough is enough, we need to ever believe that He is enough.
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