Toddler, new neighbor, student, youth kid, athlete, intern, graduate, fiance, newlywed, employee, etc.
Each new position brings responsibilities with it; responsibilities we choose to take up or shrug off.
My position with San Antonio Outreach has been "intern" for the last couple of months. Interns' responsibilities for this ministry were vague, serve-where-needed type of role. As this is the launch of this project, administration felt that more definitive titles should be given to our team members.
Charles (our team leader, Project Director) called last week and announced my new label of "Education Coordinator." This new position is more precise to my service for the ministry. It also pinpoints my God given gifts of identifying student deficit areas, designing a plan with specific curriculum and activities, and facilitating learning with individual students or small groups. This.is.my.passion. Exactly how I viewed pursuing Special Education during college years and my reading tutoring days in inner-city Knoxville at Thrive Lonsdale.
"Education Coordinator" is a temporary label, 10 months or so (my Belizean commitment as far as God has revealed). I am going to embrace this role I have trained for, and I could talk for days about the benefits of holistic development for young students. And by the grace of God, I get to make it my act of worship daily!
Now, two labels of mine are more permanent, sinner and new creation.
Romans 3:22-24
22This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
This Romans 3 passage discusses the inevitable quality of being imperfect people. 3:23 says "for ALL have sinned". I won't list each of my many (dozens, daily, hourly) sins I have committed against my Maker in my life. But just to name a few, my sins include but not are limited to: service with impure motives, unkind words, unloving actions, lies, making idols of worldly achievements, manipulating people and situations for my benefit, jealousy, and and overall distrust of God's perfect plan for my life. Wow. Gross. My heart is twisted and has a natural tendency to lean away from my Father. I wrestle too often with doing life the selfish Amber way, when God has shown me in His word how to live through grace and love instead. Repentance is a necessity because I have been a bad daughter and even worse co-heir in the inheritance of heaven. Uh. Sinner, a load of a label I will never shake.
Take heart Amber, you pessimistic, perpetual wrong-doer!
Now, two labels of mine are more permanent, sinner and new creation.
Romans 3:22-24
22This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
This Romans 3 passage discusses the inevitable quality of being imperfect people. 3:23 says "for ALL have sinned". I won't list each of my many (dozens, daily, hourly) sins I have committed against my Maker in my life. But just to name a few, my sins include but not are limited to: service with impure motives, unkind words, unloving actions, lies, making idols of worldly achievements, manipulating people and situations for my benefit, jealousy, and and overall distrust of God's perfect plan for my life. Wow. Gross. My heart is twisted and has a natural tendency to lean away from my Father. I wrestle too often with doing life the selfish Amber way, when God has shown me in His word how to live through grace and love instead. Repentance is a necessity because I have been a bad daughter and even worse co-heir in the inheritance of heaven. Uh. Sinner, a load of a label I will never shake.
Take heart Amber, you pessimistic, perpetual wrong-doer!
Romans 3:22 & 24 bring the heat. Those verses claim that I, and all unrighteous sinners, have the righteousness of Jesus, the spotless lamb. Wait, seriously? Covering this messed up soul? YES. Jesus' sacrificial death redeemed my relationship with God and reset my eternal destination from down to UP! Again in Romans 5:8 it reads 8"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." God knew what a rebellious people his chosen nation were, yet sent his only son to die the humiliating death we deserve. Hallelujah! What a gift!
2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." Because of my faith in my Savior Jesus Christ, new facts and new qualities are true of me. My past and future sin is forgiven. Gone. My debt is paid in full. Done. I am remade, rewired, and redirected to want the things my Lord desires when I chose to remain attentive to His presence and direction. And that my friends is where true peace is found.
Labels, we all have them. It's what we choose to do with these titles that determines how we glorify God during that season. Therefore, I rejoice in my identity of a new creation, battle and repent of my identity of sinner, and eagerly look toward my first weeks of providing afternoon academic interventions as San Antonio Outreach's Education Coordinator!
This is so great, Amber. I had no idea you were such an amazing writer! I am looking forward to following your journey and your heart as the Lord uses you with San Antonio Outreach. Praying for you, sweet friend!
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