The Christian life is not a series of random acts of kindness.
Let’s review for just a quick minute. This series of blogs started with my definition of the heart: the intersection of the desire/emotions, the mind, and the will. What you want, what you believe, and what you intend. The heart of a lost person is cut off from the heart of God and so the lost person’s desires are selfish, the mind is deceived, and the will is distorted. When that person is saved, her heart is united with Jesus’ heart and she discovers a new capacity to desire what Jesus desires, think what Jesus thinks, and will what Jesus wills. Christian growth is learning to ignore the old heart and tune in to Jesus’ heart.
Don't Think Random, Think Tactical
Our walk is the cumulative actions we take as a result of what we will or intend. Our walk will always be the fruit of what’s in our hearts. What may appear to be good works on the outside can come from a self-focused heart - that’s why it’s so important to ask God to examine our hearts and show us “if there is any wicked way” down in there!
So, you’re on your way to training your heart to deny the flesh and walk in the Spirit. Here’s one more thing to consider: your walk ultimately is not to be a random collection of good deeds.
I have nothing against random acts of kindness, it’s a very good and fun thing to do! But You have been specifically and intentionally designed and commissioned to take part in what Jesus is doing on the earth right now. (Did you know Jesus is doing something intentional on the earth right now? He’s doing it through us, that’s why we’re referred to as the Body of Christ!) So let’s
replace the word “random” with “tactical.” Let’s do tactical acts of kindness with the intention of displaying God’s Kingdom in the world.
Good Works With a Purpose
Now look at this: Ephesians 2:10 says,
”We are His masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus for good works
which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
Now these good works have a purpose, and that purpose is to advance God’s agenda. So the queston is, what is God’s agenda? Jesus answered this when He gave us the Great Commission: Go, make disciples, baptizing them...and teaching them. This is God’s great big assignment for the whole church during this age, and underneath the umbrella of that Great Commission, we each have a personal commission or what I call your Kingdom Assignment. The energizing power of Jesus’ life in you flows out from your heart into your life and spills into others’ lives through your Kingdom Assignment. This is how God uses the spiritual gifts He built into you when He designed you to help transform others through your impact on their lives.
Four Elements of Your Kingdom Assignment
Your Kingdom Assignment has four elements to it. (You can read all about these in my book “The Four Elements of Your Kingdom Assignment: How to Discover Your Place in God’s Eternal Purpose”).
Your design. This encompasses all of the things about you that make you who you are. Primarily your spiritual gift, but wrapped up in your personality, skills, talents, and experiences. You were designed for such as time as this!
Your two-word purpose statement. This phrase encapsulates what aspect of God’s nature you most reflect in your life, and how you do it. Do you awaken beauty? Promote justice? Proclaim liberty? establish understanding? Like pure white light is separated into all the colors of the spectrum, God’s nature is reflected in the manifold designs of each one of us.
Your tribe. Your Kingdom Assignment is always for someone else. Who are the people God wants to touch and impact through you?
Your Mountain to Claim. What transformation does God want to have happen in your tribe through your interaction with them? How will their heart become more like Jesus’ heart?
When you identify these four elements of your Kingdom Assignment you will gain amazing focus and clarity about what to pour your precious time and energy into as well as when to say "no."
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