Smarter than the Standard

Ministry Wednesday: Smarter than the Standard

We are often encouraged to think beyond the box. We were once taught to make sure we write within the box as elementary school pupils learning to write. The 2b exercise book was used to teach us how to write numerals and how to write them within stipulated space. The 2d exercise book was used to teach us to write within stipulated straight lines. The essence of these is that our minds are trained to stay focus in writing. The effect is that after we stopped using these exercise books, and graduated to using plain papers to write, we would keep those boxes and lines in our minds even when they are no more there physically.
They help us still in writing. They are fundamental.

But in innovation we would need to think beyond the boxes of limitations and consider other ways of accomplishing things and solving life's problems, especially when known ways of getting things done are failing. This too has worked, bringing so many solutions to the problems of the world.

But it won't work all the time. For instance, the basic laws of nature, even with their rigidity, remain basic. We may have to explore them further than what we have known but they remain fundamental. With them, the more we stay within the box, the more we discover what we are yet to know, embedded by the Creator for our good. Here, you can't be smarter that the standards.

It is the same in following Christ. It is true that times are different now. The world has moved on in development through massive knowledge and technology. Between the days of Christ and now, the world had developed more in communication, in transportation, in medicine, and so on. But certain things remain the same irrespective of the changes.
For instance, man may have conquered his environment to a large extent, he's yet to conquer his greed and self and so he's yet to be able to properly manage his achievements.

This is where the coming of Christ remains relevant and it'll be so till this age closes down. The fact that mankind needs salvation from its sins and that he can't obviously get it by himself and that God has provided a solution to clear away past sins and to enable him become a better race, that can sustain itself on love through the message of Christ and the influence of His Spirit is fundamental. Christ has become the standard for us with the way He saved us by sacrificing Himself for us. We too must follow that standard, we can't be smarter than that. Until mankind learns to truly and sincerely make sacrifices for others according to the standard set by Christ, nothing will truly get better.

My focus here, however, is Christ being our standard for ministry. It is true that organisation management and public speaking have taken a different shape today from what they were in the days of Christ, the basics of organising and ministering to people are the same. The message and the vision in any organisation take pole positions in administration both then and now. Resources and their management to achieve vision remain fundamental from Adam. We can't be smarter than such standards.

Christ ran a ministry, even if He didn't have to register with the government as it is expected in certain places today, He wasn't lawless in the pursuit of His ministry. He modeled integrity and accountability.

He used money. He related with the opposite sex. He had followers. People wanted to make Him king. He operated within the world system which hasn't, till this day, changed much in the weaknesses of mankind. He was tempted in every way just as we, yet without sin. He maintained His character and the message He came to give to mankind without compromise. He remains our perfect example, our ultimate standard in ministry. We can't be smarter than that.

Our efforts not to follow His standard in the areas where we face same situations today is the reason why our results are different from His. We desire what He didn't have as vision. We handle money, people and resources differently from the way He did. Obviously, our mentalities about how to run organisations may not have come from Him.

He isn't the standard we follow in many things we do today, of course, because we think His time is different from ours, after all, He didn't use the internet. We want to think outside the box, His box and so we innovate and create things that are contrary to Him while running what's supposed to be His show. Yet, we think we are doing great judging by some other standards.

We can't run in a race and be crowned winners if we don't run according to the rules, 2Timothy 2:5. The standard makes the rules. Jesus Christ is our standard, He is the measuring line. His ministry judges ours. We can't be smarter than the standard.

Let's check what we pursue in ministry. Let's use His ministry to judge how we run ours. Let's put our financial systems side by side His to know how we are faring. How do we treat people, compare to how He treated people? If truly He is our perfect example and basic standard, what are we doing differently that needs reconsideration and repentance? That's the essence of my message today. Let's walk as He walked that's the only way we can get His message practicalised.

1 John 2
6. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

Good morning. Peace to you.
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