Either do it, or stop talking about it!

Some of the most gifted, talented, skilled, capable, educated Christians I know, who have tremendous potential for making an impact for the kingdom of God, are the ones sitting on the sidelines talking the talk and fooling themselves into thinking they’re walking the walk.

Sadly, these are people who could be effective leaders. They actually think they are leaders, because when they “go to church” on Sundays, they act as leaders and are often listened to as leaders.

But many of these people spend more time on the sidelines than in service to Christ. That’s because their unified mantra is something like, “When the kids are grown and out of the house, then I’m going to …,” “When I retire, I plan on really focusing on …” “I have a great idea I want to pursue once I get further along in my career …” and so goes the litany of excuses.

These potential leaders soothe their consciences with the thought they have a plan to achieve some big things for God … some day. Later. Just not now. They’re too busy right now.

For now, they are content to look, sound, and occasionally act leader-ish, but the life lived is not the example it should or could be.

It reminds me of a great saying by that well-known guru, Unknown, that says, “People gather bundles of sticks to build bridges they never cross.”

Fortunately, while the Well-Potentialed Ones are pretending, there are others who love Jesus Christ so much they can’t not pour out their lives now. Often, these are the blue collar types who work hard to make a living from a smaller talent base, less education, limited skill, a lot less money, and sometimes even fewer spiritual gifts. But they have bigger hearts that simply cannot be contained!

These are the Christians who could care less if they look like a leader, they just want to help people in the name of Christ. And they do!

These are the Christians who understand that Jesus Himself puts a sense of urgency into His call to follow Him. Look at the immediacy Jesus emphasizes with His words recorded in Matthew 8:18-22:

“When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he instructed his disciples to cross to the other side of the lake. Then one of the teachers of religious law said to him, ‘Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go. ‘But Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head. ‘Another of his disciples said, ‘Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.’ But Jesus told him, ‘Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead.'”

Jesus isn’t concerned about the big ideas you talk about accomplishing years into a future you have no promise of. He’s concerned about the fullness of your walk with Him now! Today. This week.

The real leaders in the church are those who have placed no barriers on pouring out their lives in service to Jesus Christ. The talkers should look at them and learn.

Scotty