What to do? What to do?

My wife is a list maker. She makes lists of things she wants to get at the store. She makes lists of things she wants to do for her Stampin Up business. She makes lists of things she wants me to do on the coming weekend. And you know what? She gets stuff done (GSD for short).  Not everything on every list gets done, and not everything that gets done on the list gets done at the same time, but by and large if it makes the list it stands a better than fair chance of getting completed.

I make lists too. Usually when I have gotten woefully behind in something(s) and the only way that I can make heads of tails out of what to do next is to list everything out and rank it all.  It works too, but its a little bit late in the process if I want to avoid anxiety and frustration. The idea of the list is a good one though. It can help us see what should occupy our time throughout the day, what should get the most time based on importance, and so on.

Sometimes just making the list seems to be the entire goal though. How many things can I put together onto a list? I mean a long list looks more impressive than a little bitty list with 3 or 4 things on it. Lots of things on the list means that we are really busy, right? We can put little things on there like change light bulbs or big things like replace the motor/pump assembly in the dishwasher (thats another story). But making a list for the sake of the list only gives us a false sense of accomplishing things.  What we need to do is Do.

As Christians we can create a list of requirements and attributes that we should accomplish or pursue that would fill pages I think. That wouldn't be all bad either. Nearly every verse points to some area for improvement or refinement or elimination. In Proverbs 4:18 the Contemporary English Version it says, "The lifestyle of good people is like sunlight at dawn that keeps getting brighter until broad daylight."  So what does this have to do with making a list? Maybe not a lot but it does say that the life I live today will be progressive and incremental. If I have a list I can work on the most important things.  The light will grow and with more light I can do more or different things. One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Micah 6:8.   You can look it up but it is a very simple list of requirements - Do Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly with God.  Is that all that there is to living a Christian life?  Man to be honest that seems like a life-time pursuit to me, but I think that the answer is no.  There is more to do.


The things that get listed usually require multiple steps or actions to complete. I think thats what this little 3 item list is like. Under each of these are many other activities that translate into Doing the activity listed. Under the items on this list would be sub lists for serving others-believers and non-believers, giving of our time and resources, preferring others, rejoicing in our circumstances and mourning with those that mourn.  We could sublist items like reading the Word daily, applying the Word daily, sharing the Word daily, worshiping the Holy One daily, submitting to Him daily, letting His love lead our thinking and reactions.  


In reality the list could go on and on and I am glad it does. I will only be able to list the things that the level of spiritual maturity I have will allow, and I'm OK with that too.  I dont want to act or sound like I know everything about anything.  I am excited to know that there are depths and facets to the Most High God that I will have to walk with Him to learn of, see and to mirror in my life. 


Lastly, we are to be witnesses of and for Jesus Christ.  Romans 10:14 New Living Translation - "But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?"   Lets start another list and see what falls out underneath it. The main bullet item will be,,,,,,,,,, Tell Them.