My Jesus Lovin’ Bucket List

So, I was scrolling through FaceBook this morning and came across a cartoon of a woman sitting at her computer typing and her husband says, “are you writing your autobiography?” Her reply was, “no. I’m writing my ought-to-biography. The things I ought to do in life”. I got a good chuckle out of it. Then, it got me to thinking….what is my ought- to- biography for my life of faith?

If I were to write an ought-to-biography for my life of faith, a Jesus’ Lovin’ Bucket List if you will, I’d want it to include: leading others to Christ, intentionally living out my commitments made during child dedications and sharing my gifts every opportunity I get.

Leading Others To Christ

Okay, confession time….I can not in this moment as I’m writing this think of one time I’ve led someone through the sinner’s prayer. I think I maybe did once as a child with my friend while we were playing in the woods. And of course, I’ve led groups of people through a corporate prayer to give their lives to the Lord, but never one on one that I can recall. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because up until now my role has always been to be the one who plants the seed, or waters it setting it up for some other follower of Christ to take it the rest of the way. 1 Corinthians 3:6-9 says:

⁶ I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. ⁷ So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. ⁸ Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: but each shall receive his own reward according to his own labor.

So, as you can see, maybe I was just the set up gal which is totally fine as it’s God who gives the increase. I really couldn’t tell you what the reason is but I sure would love to experience the honor of being with someone as they repent and believe for the first time.

Intentionally Living Out My Commitments Made During Child Dedications

I LOVE child dedications! In our faith, this is where we stand before our church family as a blood family with our little ones and promise before all to raise them up in the Lord. In turn, the pastor leads the church family in response to our promise, promising to do their part to represent Christ in all their dealings in view of our little ones. They also promise to pray for our littles and do their part to point them to Christ as well whether that’s as their Sunday school teacher, youth leader, or just a friendly fellow Christ follower brushing elbows with them in our church world.

As part of the church family at the child dedications of others, I do not take my part lightly. I hope all the time to be intentionally living out my promise to these little ones and their parents. If I see them in the lobby, I’ll smile. If I’m working in the nursery, I’ll be totally present, making sure they realize how loved they are. When they get baptized someday, I’ll be the loudest cheerleader. I vow that they’ll never catch me lying, cheating or using foul language. I vow that if they do catch me doing those things, they’ll see me humble myself, repent and apologize. I promise to listen to them when they speak their minds and celebrate their accomplishments. Last but not least, I promise to support the parents by gently reminding their kiddos to respect them if I ever see them not doing so publicly.

It’s my hope that we would all take Child Dedications this seriously. It’s my firm belief that raising kids truly does take a village! A Christ loving and honoring village! (Mark 10:16; Matthew 18:10; Proverbs 22:6)

Sharing My Gifts Every Opportunity I Get

I also want to be a good steward of the giftings God has blessed me with. I Peter 4:10 says to use whatever we’ve been gifted with to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. I hope that I am relentless in cultivating and perfecting my strengths and abilities. I pray that I would never use them for my own glory but only to serve others and shine light on them. I pray that I would not be lazy and waste my gifts (the whole use it or lose it thought) and I pray that I wouldn’t be so selfish and narcissistic to believe that I might as well not use my gifts because someone else is better than me because it’s not about that. What we’ve been called to do is not about how good we are; rather it’s about what God plans to do with it. My giftings are not about me, but about Him and His glory through His plan.

Well, that’s my ought-to-biography. Have you ever considered what yours might be? I’d love to hear about it!