But how do we show God that we love Him? When I sit down with pen and paper, I automatically have the desire to start complaining and wondering about the future. I want answers. I want a crystal ball. But I know that God is not a “magic genie” up in the sky. I know that I must trust God to care for my family and me. Instead of focussing on me, I need to show my love to God by asking about Him. How is Your day going, Lord? What’s new for You? Are You enjoying the world? How’s Jesus? Do you follow soccer? Seems a bit silly, but how do we show love to God?

We take an interest in Him. We give Him words of affirmation through our prayers, praises and worship. We give Him gifts – the gift of our tithes and we give Him our time in prayer and study. We can also show love through our acts of service and physical touch to those in need. Whatever we do for anyone in need, we do for Him. Loving God is not about going to church for an hour on Sundays. It means so much more. How are you expressing your love to Him?

The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me’ (Matthew 25:40 NIV).

I wondered if the company he worked for knew that he drove in such a manner. Would they be flattered that I remembered the company logo and now associate this company with the angry driver?

But then, a friend recently reminded me that it’s not only drivers that may not represent their company fairly. How many times do we ourselves do the same? But instead the emblem on our vehicle is a fish – representing that we are Christian. Or we may feature a sticker from a Christian radio station. And perhaps the day we are in a hurry, someone may want to squeeze his or her car in ahead of us but we’re unwilling to move. Or we tailgate a slower moving car on the highway. Or we mumble under our breath about the idiot who took up two parking spaces. Model Christian behaviour?

Maybe we should take off our emblems and stickers so we don’t falsely represent our faith. But would that really help? Or should we rather change our attitudes and stay on alert at all times? Regardless of whether or not we let the world know we are Christian on the outside, we should let the world know we are Christian on the inside. The only way anyone (even ourselves) can know we are Christians on the inside is if the new life is reflected on the outside. Faith can be seen only as it is lived.

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead (James 2:26 NIV.)

There are days when I think that I can’t possible be of help. I’ve got my own problems. But then my spirit is checked and I am reminded of small things I can do. I can donate my used VCR movies to a shelter for the homeless. I can donate my children’s outgrown clothes to the Diabetes association. I can add a few extra groceries in my cart each week to donate to the food bank. I can give a monthly donation of $10 to be automatically withdrawn to my favourite world mission. I can adopt a cat from the Humane Society. I can collect my pennies and drop them off when I pick up my cat. I can buy a poppy in November and wear it proudly on my coat. I can donate my used coats to Coats for Kids. I can donate my old glasses to a third world country. I can sponsor a child through Compassion or World Vision. I can buy a chicken, goat or cow for a family in a third world country. I can donate my coffee change for a child to go to camp. I can add a dollar to my grocery bill at the till to be given to the food bank. I can make a donation to catastrophe victims through my online banking. I can enter the Terry Fox run and collect pledges. I can buy a plant in support of cancer research. I can buy a grocery gift certificate and pass it along to a friend in need. I can volunteer my time to put together food hampers. I can visit a retirement home and talk with the elderly. I can write letters to inmates. I can have my haircut and donate it to make wigs for children.

As I write this, I am sure there are many more things that I can do – donate my money, my possessions, and my time – for worthy causes. If I think, “I can’t possibly make a difference” and hold onto my money, hoard my possessions and keep my time to myself then yes it is a self-fulfilling prophecy. However, if everyday I do something, anything, to help in a small way, then yes it will make a difference.

I remember hearing a story about a man who walked to the beach every morning and spent an hour throwing back starfish who had been beached. One day, another man came along and chastised him for doing this. He said, “Old man, you can’t possible make a difference here. Look at all the thousands of starfish. You’ll never be able to help them all.” The old man continued to return the starfish to the sea as he responded, “You may be right. But it does make a difference to this one.”

Think about how you may make a difference today – no matter how small.

Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice (Psalm 112:5 NIV.)

This past Saturday, I set aside time – when the house was quiet, with a hot cup of tea – to go about my yearly ritual. However, this year my goal planning felt very empty and unsatisfying. I put my papers away, disappointed that I did not feel filled with joy and hope for the coming months.

The next day at church, I listened intently as Pastor Jamie gave a sermon on how our life as Christians is similar to a baseball game. In baseball, there are three bases and a home plate. The goal is to hit a ball, and run to touch all successive bases before returning to home. Once home, your team scores a run.

As a Christian, the goal also is to reach each base and move on to the next one. At first base, we are called believers. This is where we first establish a relationship with God. At the heart of the gospel is the message of salvation. We can celebrate the new life we now have in Jesus Christ.

But we can’t stop there. We need to move on to second base where we are called worshipping believers. This is where we put Christ at the centre of our life. How do we know if we have moved on to second base and truly put Christ at the centre? Ask yourself a simple question, “Where does my mind dwell when I’m not doing something I have to do?” This question sat like a lead stone in my belly. I took some time to think about it. If I am not writing an article, adding an entry to my blog, or working on my teaching notes, where does my mind dwell? I have to be honest here; if I have no work that I absolutely must do, I find that my mind dwells on creating more work. My mind constantly returns to search for what I can do. What can I do to build a platform, to fill my resume, and to beef up my credentials? To be a worshipping believer means that I must put Christ at the centre of my life. He should be that which consumes me. But He hasn’t been. No wonder my goal planning had felt so shallow and unfulfilling. It was all about me —what I want. I’ve put me at the centre of my life.

Years ago, I posted a quote on my bulletin board that I feel I need to revisit, “You take care of My business, and I’ll take care of yours.” Now these are words to live by. If I put Christ front and centre then all else will fall into place. I need to refocus.

Pastor Jamie continued to say that third base is where we become growing believers. This is where we apply God’s principles to our life. James 1:19-21 says, “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”

Lastly, we arrive at home plate. Home is where we become serving believers. At this point, we become believers that make an impact with our life. The Book of James is one of my favourites in the Bible and James 2:17 provides another principle to live by, “ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

So now I can return to my goal planning and strive to reach each successive base with the goal of home plate in mind.

I bought the video years ago and it has become a yearly ritual to watch it at Christmas time. This movie has profound meaning to me. It reminds me that I am not an island and it asks me to consider my life in view of how it has affected others. Did my life make a difference?

It’s too easy to fall into the trap of believing that life is all about me, about what I want out of it. Yet truly, life is to be lived, not for us, but for others. When you think of Mother Theresa, it is obvious that she lived for others. Her life made a significant difference in the lives of many.

But we are not all called to be a “Mother Theresa”. We are called to make a difference where we are – with our spouse, our children, our boss, our co-workers, and our neighbours. We are called to make a difference where God has placed us. Today, ask yourself, “What difference does my life make?”

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms (1 Peter 4:10 NIV.)

I find that there are certain times in my life when I become anxious about the future. Where will I be? What will I be doing? This is especially true as a self-employed person who works contract to contract. I can get easily distracted by and consumed with anxiety over the next month.

There was a time, not long ago, that I was fretting about this same issue. God spoke to my spirit and reminded me then to focus on the here and now. He did this through a vision. God gave me a picture of me on a beach. On this beach there were a number of boxes. Some boxes had lids on them and were closed, while other boxes sat open. These boxes represented events in my life. The closed boxes were my past; the open boxes were my future. Then as I stood looking at the future boxes, wanting to glimpse inside them to see what was in store for me, a large mirror – three times the size of me – was erected between the boxes of the past and the boxes of the future. God spoke into my heart and said that the boxes of the past were closed and there was no need for me to spend time with them. The boxes of the future were on the other side of the mirror and there was no need for me to be anxious. So every time I felt like looking ahead, I was confronted with this mirror reminding me to stay in the moment.

So now the mirror in the office is mounted to remind me to focus on today, to not fret about the past and not be anxious about the future.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:34 NIV.)

We drove from Waterloo to Toronto, and then took the subway into downtown. The excitement in the air was energizing. Most fans dressed in the WLU colours of purple and gold. I remember wearing a gold coloured scarf to support my team.

Once at the stadium, we found our seats and joined in the cheering. What a game! I had never been to a football game and so my best friend described to me exactly what was happening. It was so much fun. I was caught up in the brouhaha and yelled and screamed until my voice was raw. I’m not sure why I even bought a seat because I didn’t sit down for the entire game. I waved my scarf up in the air until my arms were tired. You can imagine the burst of sheer joy when my team won the cup. The party continued late into the night. I was elated that my team had won. I was proud to be a Laurier student. I was happy to be on the winning team.

Remembering that football game reminded me of a poster my son had in his bedroom. It was a picture of a muscle-clad man sporting a t-shirt with the motto, “Be on the winning team!” At the bottom it clarified, “God’s team.”

I am a member of God’s team. I joined when I gave my heart to Jesus. I feel proud to be a Christian. I am happy knowing that when I die I’ll go to heaven.

Funny though, one would think that my salvation is a little more important than my favourite team winning a sports event. Knowing where I will spend eternity is a tad bit more inspiring than a plaque on the wall with the year of the championship. So why don’t I treat it as such?

Why can I go to a football game and scream, jump and raise my arms in support of my team, yet on Sundays at church, I am reluctant to even raise a hand? Why is it that as a fan of a sporting event I feel it’s okay to act fanatical, but within the walls of my own church family I am so much more reserved?

This year, I resolve to act more enthusiastic about what truly matters in life. I’m going to sing out loud, cheer, and yes, I’m going to raise both my arms at church.

David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets (2 Samuel 6:14-15 NIV.)

Right now I’m participating in a Bible study at my church called, “An Ordinary Day with Jesus” by John Ortberg and Ruth Haley Barton. It claims, “In the routine moments of an ordinary day…you can experience the reality of God’s presence.” Session two discusses everyday relationships and how important it is to train, instead of just try, to be more loving. Dallas Willard states that, “To train means to arrange my life around activities I can do that will enable me, over time, to do what I cannot do by direct effort alone.”

I immediately thought about my experiences as a career counsellor. As a counsellor, I worked with clients on career planning, time management and goal setting. We developed cover letters, resumes and thank you letters. But the hardest workshop I had to teach was on interviews. Many clients felt that they did not need to train for an interview but instead they would try and “wing it.” They thought that they would just make it up as they went. This astounded me, especially knowing the difficulty involved in an interview and the importance weighed on this meeting.

Sometimes I would challenge a client and fire questions at them. “Tell me about yourself. What are your weaknesses? Where do you see yourself in five years? If you were a tree, what kind of a tree would you be? Why should we hire you?” And many times, the client would be stumped on how to effectively answer these questions. So from there we would work on training for an interview.

The same is true for many people in their Christian walk. They say that when confronted with a situation they will try to act like Jesus. But unless they train daily, they will find themselves faltering and stumbling through their day.

As the Bible study states, “Training is an indispensable ingredient for pursuing spiritual transformation. Training activities exist to help us grow in love for God and other people and to become more like Christ.”

I plan to spend my energies in training, not just trying.

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training (1 Corinthians 9:25 NIV).

This made me think of a time in my life when I held an opposite viewpoint to where I am today. I remember arguing with my grade 12 religion teacher on the subject of abortion. At the time, I felt that it was the mother’s choice and because it was her body, she had the right to decide for or against having a child. I was solely thinking of the rights of the woman – a natural viewpoint. I was unsaved at the time and so the talk of the teacher did not make sense to me.

However, today I fully understand her argument. She was speaking from the viewpoint of a “spiritual man” and now, many years later, what she said makes sense to me.

1 Corinthians 2:14 says, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” Paul reminds believers that the wisdom that comes from God is in direct contradiction to the ways of the world. He draws a distinction between the wisdom of God and the wisdom of humans. In our natural state, we are in a state of spiritual blindness, which in turn makes us unable to comprehend the truths of God.

As an unsaved teenager, I did not understand or accept that God has a purpose and a plan for each of us. I did not know that He formed us in our mother’s womb. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart (Jeremiah 1:5 NIV.) I did not know that He knows the exact number of hairs on our head. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered (Matthew 10:30 NIV.) I looked at the issue from my limited viewpoint, concentrating only on selfish ideals, not considering the “big” picture and God’s ultimate and intimate involvement.

In my dream, God spoke into my heart and showed me how outrageous all that extravagance was. People died from starvation while these houses of luxury were being built. I saw how crazy this really was and decided that I had to quit my job.

Then God told me that it was not good enough just to make changes in my own life. I had to now go out and tell others. So I began to tell my co-workers why I quit this job. I approached patrons of the spa and explained to them the stark difference in the world. I pointed out how one of the floral decorations in the front foyer could easily pay for food for 12 families for a month in a third world country.

My dream continued as I told them how tithing worked. One rich woman challenged me and said that she already gave  to the poor. But when I explored further, I discovered that she gave less than three percent of her income. I invited her to increase this amount to at least 10 percent.

As I left the building, I talked to everyone I saw. I began to shout about the excessiveness in the building and the tragedy of the state of the world. Then my message changed to one of repentance. I told the women of the need to claim Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. I talked of dying and meeting their Maker face-to-face and how He will say to some, “I did not know you.” I explained how we can choose to be in heaven with our Lord or spend eternity away from God.

I woke up in a sweat. I was twisted in my bed sheets. Wow, what a dream. The colours were vibrant and the message was clear. In my mind’s eye I can still see the gorgeous flower arrangements and shimmering curtains. But more than that, I can better understand the message of wastefulness and helping those less fortunate than ourselves.

They also will answer, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?He will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.” (Matthew 25:41-45 NIV).