The Confident Witness (5)
I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 1 Corinthians 3.6
A life motto
Do you have a life motto? The Oxford Dictionary of English defines a motto as “A short sentence or phrase chosen as encapsulating the beliefs or ideals of an individual, family, or institution”. Let’s note a few things about a workable motto. First, it must be brief. Just a sentence or phrase. Easily memorized or shared, and just as easily explained. That phrase must be chosen—embraced, owned, and put to good use.
Second, a life motto summarizes—encapsulates—one’s most cherished beliefs and ideals. Thinking of the “capsule” idea another way, a motto is a small thing that contains real potential for good, like a medicine capsule. A motto must pack all one’s most cherished beliefs and ideals into just one short phrase.
Finally, mottoes are appropriate for individuals, families, or institutions. Take the motto of The Fellowship of Ailbe: Realizing the presence, promise, and power of the Kingdom of God. We’re a small band of around 40 men who are reaching into 185 countries with the Good News of the Kingdom of God. Our motto helps us keep focused, plan our work, share our vision, increase our ranks, and assess our progress. An individual’s motto can do the same.
I have a few slogans that guide my life and work, but the overarching, underpinning, and all-pervading motto is simply this: Think near, aim small. If I’m thinking near, I’ll always have an ear tuned to the Lord, because He is with me always. And I’ll always be alert to my environment and the people in it, to serve as an ambassador of my King. And if I aim small, I can always find something at hand—a word of encouragement or appreciation, a gesture of kindness, a simple act of service or assistance—that can function as a conduit of grace into my Personal Mission Field. I don’t need big productions, weeks of planning, or bundles of cash. Just do the next small thing unto the glory of God (1 Cor. 10.31). If I’m faithful in those small things, the Lord might allow me bigger things later on.
My motto keeps me alert, ready, and active in embracing and working my Personal Mission Field. And the more I follow my motto into action, the more confident I become as a witness to Jesus in my world. I recommend you try my motto on for size: Think near, aim small.
Life aims
And if all your “aims” can be grouped under just a few headings, that makes aiming easier, which, in turn, increases the likelihood and consistency of acting.
Paul indicates four primary aims that guided his work in his sphere: boasting about Jesus (2 Cor. 10.13, 15-17), edifying and being edified (v. 15), always being ready with the Gospel (v. 14; cf. 1 Pet. 3.15), and seeking to enlarge his mission field (vv. 15, 16). Let’s take a closer look.
Paul aimed always to boast about Jesus in as many ways as he could. Not about himself or his work or his knowledge, which those who boast about Jesus sometimes do—boasting about the Lord to vaunt themselves. Jesus was the object of Paul’s boasting, not himself. Pointing out His beauty in the world around, remarking His kindness as seen in a friend, sharing an insight from His Word, raising His Name as a topic of conversation, offering an impromptu prayer of thanks or praise as appropriate. No sermons or theological dispositions. No Jesus and I, me, mine. Aim small to bring Jesus and His glory to those who are near at hand.
Second, since we all have room to grow and things to learn, Paul made it his aim to learn as well as to teach. He was like Chaucer’s scholar: “And gladly wolde he lerne, and gladly teche.” And in that order, no doubt. Taking an interest in people and things, being a good listener and an alert observer, asking meaningful questions—these can be effective means of grace as well as teaching, testifying, and sharing.
Third, Paul aimed to bring the Gospel throughout his sphere. He was not content just to mention Jesus, although he certainly did that. He knew the Gospel, ate and drank the Gospel, and longed to share all the Good News of Christ and His Kingdom to every person in his sphere.
Finally, Paul never missed an opportunity to enlarge the scope of his sphere. New places. New people. New opportunities to take Jesus and His Kingdom into the world. He pushed at the boundaries of his mission field and knocked on the doors of all kinds of people, many of whom were converted to Christ and some of whom joined Paul in his ministry.
These four aims can mark our lives and work in our own Personal Mission Field. But we’ll need to embrace them and think hard each day about how to make the best use of our time for advancing our work as witnesses for Jesus.
The time of your life
The aims of our life in the life field to which Jesus sends us as His witnesses will play out in the time of our life. Every moment, every day. Paul says we should redeem our time—grab it back from being lost to frivolity, folly, and other forms of waste—and make the best use of it, like wise people, not like fools (Eph. 5.15-17).
This means being filled with the Holy Spirit in the time of our lives (Eph. 5.18-21) and yielding to His leading, teaching, convicting, and prompting at every moment. One of the slogans that guides my own life is from Psalm 90: Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom (v. 12). Every day you go out into your Personal Mission Field. Have you planned what you will do to fulfill the four mission-field aims? Are you careful, in whatever you do in your time, to do all things heartily as unto the Lord? Do you review the time of your life in prayer before you retire at the end of the day?
Planning, awareness, staying on task, improving, reviewing: These are the ways to use the time of our lives according to our life’s motto and aims. And making the most of our time will help us, day by day, to become more confident witnesses for the Lord.
For reflection or discussion
1. Do you have a motto? If you were to write one, what might it be?
2. Review Paul’s four aims for working his Personal Mission Field. How can you make these your aims, too?
3. How do you apply the teaching of Ephesians 5.15-21 and Psalm 90.12, 16, 17?
Next steps—Preparation: Write your motto. Own your aims. Gladly “lerne and teche.”
T. M. Moore
Give thanks
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Knowing Jesus
Being confident witnesses begins in our relationship with Jesus, in knowing Him. Two books can help you grow in Jesus. To Know Him is a brief and lively exposition of Philippians 3.7-11 and explains what Paul means by this. You can order your copy by clicking here. Be Thou My Vision offers 28 daily meditations on Jesus, drawing on Scripture and writings from the period of the Celtic Revival. Order your copy by clicking here.
Thank you.
Many of you are faithful and generous in praying for and supporting Crosfigell and The Fellowship of Ailbe. Thank you. I encourage all our readers to seek the Lord about becoming a supporter of The Fellowship of Ailbe. It’s easy to give to The Fellowship of Ailbe, and all gifts are, of course, tax-deductible. You can click here to donate online through credit card or PayPal or Anedot, or send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.
Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserve
