What Can You Give?

I think it is fascinating how obsessed our culture is with achievement. We want to make an impact on those around us, leave the world a little better than we found it, make a change, leave a legacy, make our loved ones proud. How often is the measure of those desires the list of our accomplishments? How often is it defined by what we do and not who we are? Who you are will define what you do, how you act and relate to the world and people around you.

It makes sense, we can tell a harvest is or is not successful by the amount of fruit it produces. We can tell if we pass or fail a test by the score we achieve. Our culture hails results as the most important thing to seek after. Don’t get me wrong, I think being an active member of the community you belong to, contributing to society, looking out for the welfare of others, and wanting to make a difference are good things! But I do think they become a hindrance when pursued above the greatest thing: an abiding and therefore abundant life that seeks the flourishing of others. The only way that is possible is through a relationship with the Triune God – God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit.

There are two things you need to know about me to help bring context to the thoughts explored in this particular blog:

1. I love Disney movies (and movies in general) because I love story. I believe all stories, to some degree, reflect the one redemption story God is writing for all mankind.
2. I am a recovering perfectionist and identify as an Enneagram 1. I have always been driven and care deeply about what I produce and what I bring to the table, sometimes for the purpose of helping others, but a lot of times for the purpose of proving myself as well – to myself, this world, and to my Heavenly Father. 

With that brief setup, let’s take a look at a moment in the Disney film, Mulan. It gets me every single time. Mulan reflects my own heart motives and actions and her father reflects my Father God in this scene. Take fifty-nine seconds and watch this scene:

Whew, I’m not crying, you’re crying. I feel Holy Spirit speaking truth through this sentence as Mulan’s father wraps her in his arms and holds her face in his hands reminding her:

“The greatest gift and honor is having you for a daughter.” 

I have avoided writing this glimmer of the Gospel for awhile now, and I think it is because the Father has been kneading this specific truth into my life again, working out places I have not really believed Him when He says, “you are daughter first.” Sometimes I get so caught up in trying to prove myself to Heaven or to those around me, that I forget, the matter is already settled. I am in Christ, therefore I belong to His family (John 1:12). I am fully accepted! God was faithful and just to extend the invitation to join His family through His son Jesus. Instead, I sometimes pull a Mulan, trying to do things for my Father, to bring glory and honor to our family name by my own means and my own power. And maybe, it is from my purest motives to help advance His Kingdom, doing it with Him. But maybe, there are also those times when I am doing it just to prove I am strong and capable and to make Him proud. Then, when I think I have achieved something or have the results I think are good, I lay it at His feet, almost fearful, asking in my heart, is it enough? He did it all and gave His life for mine, how could I not want to bring Him the world? But that is not our primary call or directive as believers. The Father asks us for something greater:

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Deuteronomy 6:4-6

He asks for our everything – our whole heart, our whole soul, everything we are, nothing held back. The highest call is to restored relationship, to God Himself! From that place of secure, unchanging love and acceptance, we go forth. From that place of sonship, we are asked to spread our Father’s kingdom. From the place of abiding, fruit comes. From being flows the doing.

Maybe you’re like me and you’ve gotten it backwards at times, putting producing and achievement ahead of resting in His arms. Thinking somehow I have to bring the first to merit the second, but that is not grace! That is not God’s character, that is not His heart for His kids! That is not the good news of the Gospel. There is absolutely nothing I can do on my own to change my standing before God. We have all messed up, rebelling against God and His way, thinking He is holding out on us or thinking in our arrogance our way is better than His. This heart attitude and the actions that follow are what the Bible calls sin, something we are all guilty of:

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

And the consequence for sin? Separation from God forever – spiritual and physical death. 

“For the wages of sin is death…” Romans 6:23

BUT, praise God there’s a but! 

“…but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Only by claiming the blood of the crucified, buried, and resurrected perfect Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, can you and I be brought home to the arms of our Father once again. Once you’re His, it’s forever (John 10:28-29, Romans 8)! 

So back to this image from Mulan. I thought I had been stacking up some swords and crests of my own – working in full-time ministry, actively engaging in discipleship, belonging to a local church, trying to create authentic community with those around me – not bad things in and of themselves, but I think my motives got mixed up at times along the way. A couple of months ago, very abruptly, a decent chunk of that all got stripped away when a change in circumstances left me and my co-workers jobless, aimless, hurt, and discouraged.

It has been a STRUGGLE the past couple of months to follow the Lord’s direction to rest and wait on Him. The constant question I am plagued with is: what am I doing? What am I working and moving towards? I feel like I should be doing more and that resting isn’t enough. Wow, have I gotten that backwards (John 15, Hebrews 4)! I realize I had once again placed what I could do for Him or what I could bring Him above who I could be with Him. As He is Father first, He reminded me of this truth (maybe this is a shot of truth you need to hear too):

You are daughter first. I love you. Restoring rhythms, that’s what we’re going to do. Also, it was always you. There hasn’t been a moment I haven’t thought of you. There hasn’t been a moment I haven’t wanted you. There hasn’t been a moment I haven’t loved you. You are dear to Me. Don’t shut Me out, give Me your heart, your tears, your laments. My shoulder can take it baby girl. 

What matters most is who you are in relationship to Him. As my pastor, JT English, said a few weeks back, “The most important thing about you isn’t what you have achieved, but what you have received.” 

What are you allowing to define you? To dictate your steps and actions or lack thereof? Is it your achievements? Your reputation? Your skills and talents? 

Or is it the love of a good, faithful, kind, and loving Father? 

What can you give Him? Believe Him when He says:

The greatest gift and honor is having you, _____________ , for a daughter. 

The greatest gift and honor is having you, _____________ , for a son. 

It’s you, my friend. He just wants you. End of story. 

Or perhaps, a new beginning?