Raising Teams

I have been fund-raising for my mission, and realized that I'm not raising funds, but raising teams.  That was one of the most amazing things I realized, because it sheds light on the Church.  Christ isn't raising funds, but raising a team of people so unified they are called His bride.  One bride, one body, one pursuit.  Some are the hands, some are eyes, some are the feet.  

I started thinking about what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12 hoping to understand and appreciate the various roles in a team.  What do the hands do, or the feet, or the eyes or ears?  In an attempt to better understand my individual purpose, I stumbled upon something greater.

I saw a picture of a bride climbing a mountain.  At various times, the climber used her hands to pull herself up the cliff.  At other times, the climber had to look for proper footholds.  At other times the ears had to listen for the encouraging call of the Groom.

Then I realized those weren't separate times, but ways the body brings us closer to Christ.

There are times in life when we climb mountains, swim oceans, or eat meals to gain strength, but regardless of the activity, we are continually, and concertedly pursuing Christ.

The times we climb the mountain, we are using both our hands and our feet to pull ourselves up the cliff.  But if we take our eyes off of Christ to look for a foothold, we need to be sure that our ears are listening to His call.

When we are swimming oceans, we are using our hands and feet to propel us towards shore.  Our eyes are fixed on Christ and our ears are listening to crashing of the waves.  But if we find ourselves sinking into the water, Jesus will grab our hand and pull us out.

So rejoice in your role on Christ's team, because sometimes it's your role that brings us closer to the Prize.

Please email me if you want to be apart of the ministry team at Elmbrook Men.  I'll be interning there this year, and need help from supporters of all kinds.  Can you donate time or money?  How about encouragement, or creative ideas.  Sometimes I need correction and accountability.  

joshua.wheeler03@gmail.com

A Humbling Experience

In my last blog, I mentioned that I refused to worship power and money like the sales manager expected me to.  By standing my ground, I grew stronger in my faith, and more capable of seeing the supreme value of Christ compared to everything else.  There was more to this experience than just personal benefit though.

There was a surge of power rising through my veins after I stood my moral ground that day.  I saw the foolishness of my boss's perspective, and didn't want to participate in it.  My muscles became tense, and I envisioned myself stomping the ground and telling my boss I can't work with such heathens.  "I'm the adopted son of Father God; the brother to the King, I deserve better...."  But right before I was about to carry out my plan, I felt a voice prompting me to stay.  

Although I stayed, I really complained a lot to God.  You know, the "woe is me" type of complaining.  The first month was emotionally and mentally painful, but it drove me closer to God.  As I grew closer to God, I was able to find peace and contentment in where I was (a huge blessing given to Christians btw).  Eventually, I was able to quit focusing on my discomforts, and start to consider other people.  That's when I became amazed...

The people around me were changing!  One of the guys started going to church, the other started to read the Psalms to his wife, another asked me the reason for the hope I have, and both my manager and his boss allowed me to share the gospel with them!  God was opening doors, and giving me an opportunity to share His love.

But the experience that impacted me the most came during the last two weeks I was there.  One of my coworkers had a customer yell at him, and while I was thinking to myself, "HANG UP ON HIM," my boss grabbed the phone.

I immediately stopped what I was doing, and focused all my attention on the scene that was unfolding.  It was a flashback to my first week at the company: a customer on the phone yelling at me, and my boss telling me to yell back.  Would my boss repeat his actions?

With patience and humility, he said, "Sir, we didn't mean to offend you.  We are only salesmen trying to make a living.  We won't call you anymore, and have a great day."

Wow!

The person I was so quick to judge initially, became more patient and respectful than I was at that moment.  How humbling!  How amazing!  How characteristic of Christ's love!

The thing I've learned in life is that although I am an adopted son of Father God and I am a brother to the King of Kings, His free gift is not for my glory, fame, power, or wealth.  It's for my neighbor's.  I've been blessed to bless others.  Philippians 2 summarizes my role:  

 ⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

 ⁶ Who, being in very nature God,
   did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
   by taking the very nature of a servant,
   being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,
   he humbled himself
   by becoming obedient to death—
      even death on a cross!

I praise Jesus for His willingness to do what I am unable to on my own.