As a Christian, you have center stage. People you don’t even know are observing the way you respond to trials. Be sure to bring honor to the king.
SHAUNA: Hi, I’m Shauna on Joni Eareckson Tada Sharing Hope with a personal reflection from Joni.
JONI: You know, as Christians living out our convictions in a dark world, you and I are on stage. Others are always watching. And we can do our part well or, when trials assault us, we can ad lib by acting out our resentments, and bringing dishonor to the Playwright, capital P. The choice is ours. It’s something I remember not only when I'm in public, but even in a casual setting with close friends. God has placed me in a position of leadership, and I can either safeguard that sphere of influence, or I can squander it through thoughtless words, careless actions. As a leader, I need to remember that God's reputation is at stake in everything I say and do. That shows how high the cosmic stakes really are!
And it’s why I keep an old, faded letter that a Christian brother wrote me decades ago. He handed it to me when I was just beginning to step on the stage of leadership. And here’s a portion of that letter. He wrote: “So, Joni, when you’ve got to speak ten times in one week, when your jaw gets a little tired from smiling at well-wishers, when your back aches, when you’ve got a secret inner urge to be on your feet but you can’t express it because folks around you would take it wrong, when the Bible seems boring, when you find sinful thoughts and attitudes creeping into your head, when you’re tempted to run mental movies of your success, in short, when you feel like carrying a smooth cross and slipping a bit, even ‘just for today’, don’t. Don’t do it. And don’t feel the hassle is in vain, because you honestly have got to be one of the mainstays in my life when it comes to setting an example when I feel like quitting.” Wow!
Can you see why I keep that letter? And I read it every once in a while, just to keep my perspective fresh. Because whether speaking at conferences, or [I don’t know] writing books, or advocating for people with disabilities in the halls of government, the words of warning from my friend so long ago have served as a prudent guide for so many years. I know the Gospel has accrued a great deal of respect through my life and witness, and God help me, I just want to finish well.
For instance, I’ve been told, “Joni, God knows he can trust you with suffering. He knows your character; he knows you’re a strong person and that you would respond well to hardships.” Oh, but I say otherwise. I think God entrusts hardships to me because he knows that I know I can’t be trusted. I fully accept that I am the least likely candidate to handle affliction well. Honestly. I know how weak and stubborn I can be, how peevish and irritable. And this is why I run to God daily for help! ‘Oh, Jesus, help me, I can’t face another day of quadriplegia!’ When I go to God with that attitude, he lavishes upon me grace upon grace – all because I'm quick to recognize my weakness, his strength, and my utter dependency on Christ. Friend, if you desire the favor of God, be swift to appreciate how out-of-favor you would be apart from Jesus. If you want the strength of God, be fast to realize how feeble and needy you are without Jesus.
The spotlight is on you, my friend listening. As a Christian, you have center stage. People you don’t even know are observing the way you respond to trials. So do your part well. Build up those in your sphere of influence. Bring honor to the King, for you certainly want to finish well, don’t you?
SHAUNA: Be sure to visit joniradio.org today.
© Joni and Friends