When I was a kid, my dad owned a bakery. About that same time Dunkin’ Donuts came out with an ad campaign where a sleepy guy stumbled about in the dark or through the snow and ice because it was “time to make the donuts.” Commitment to doing what must be done. I remember wanting to wake up early and go to work with my dad – but I just couldn’t drag myself out of bed at 3 or 4 in the morning. I liked to eat donuts (understatement), but I wasn’t committed to making them. As cheesy as it may sound, I think in the church today, it’s “time to make some donuts”.
“Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.”
These words from Paul to Titus provide a strong directive for the church today. Maybe it’s just a Western issue, where wealth has lulled us into complacency – but it seems that a lot of us are much better consumers than producers.
I buy all my clothes…
I buy all my food…
I buy cars and books and windows and shinguards…
But what do I produce? What exists because I made it? I’m not talking about some “look what I did and pat me on the back” kind of production, but about a natural outpouring of creative activity that benefits others. The same Spirit that lives in me is the one who hovered over the waters in that instant before “Let there be light.” and “Let us make man in our image.” God instructed the first people to “be fruitful”. We are intended to be creatively productive – not passively consumptive. (It’s interesting that the word ‘consumptive’ has to do with consuming food or drink OR being afflicted by a disease like tuberculosis where you physically waste away.)
I’m challenging my students over the next several weeks to be more productive in their spiritual lives, but I’m also being challenged myself. The Spirit within us who are in Christ is an active Spirit. He wants to do something. I wonder if “quenching the Spirit” has a lot to do with stifling His work in our lives in order to simply consume the religious morsels set before us?
This is a great post, Mike. Thanks for being willing to challenge us… I’ll be thinking about this a lot over the next few days. Praying for you and your students as you figure out what “making donuts” looks like in your own lives.
Thanks Kari
Actually over the next few days I’ll be expanding on this in a few posts with more thoughts and some examples of people who are living “productive lives”.