In my daily bible readings, I just reached Nehemiah.
Right at the start, Nehemiah finds out that the Jews who left Babylon and were tasked with fixing up Jerusalem hadn’t done much of anything. Years have gone by, and Jerusalem is still a mess.
Nehemiah cries. Then he prays. Then, he gets to work.
Nehemiah asks the kings permission to head to Jerusalem to help in the rebuilding effort. When Nehemiah gets there, he puts together an action plan and sets the people of Jerusalem to work.
They are repeatedly attacked by the nearby people who do not want Jerusalem to be a strong city again. So the bible says that the men who rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem had a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other. When it was time to build, they built. When it was time to defend, they defended. And they didn’t stop until the work was complete.
James 1:22 tells us that we should not just listen to God’s word, but that we should do what it says.
God seems to like people of action.
Abraham packed up and left his homeland when God called him.
Joseph took charge when given the opportunity and mobilized a nation to prepare for a famine.
Do I even need to mention David, the warrior-poet?
Solomon, was probably the most ‘thinker’ type person in the Bible, yet he was the hands-on ruler of the kingdom of Israel. He didn’t just sit around idle all day, but he built up wealth for himself and the whole kingdom, wrote extensively, networked with other kingdoms, etc.
One of the most prolific writers in the Bible, Paul, was like an ancient Indiana Jones. He travelled the world, getting himself into huge trouble, but never giving up. (see 2 Cor 11:23-28)
God wants us to be people of action. Action figures, so to speak.
I just don’t see anywhere in the scriptures to indicate that people of faith are defined by sitting around for a couple hours a week at a church.
William Carrey, a man widely regarded as ‘the father of modern missions’, and one of the early missionaries to work in India said it like this: “Attempt great things for God, expect great things from God.”
I couldn’t agree more. You’re not here to fit it. You’re here to make a difference. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2)
God has cast you as a main character in his story. And you know what? It’s an action movie. There’s gonna be some crazy stunts. You could get hurt. People who do their own stunts frequently do.
But you know what you’ll never say later in life? “I wish I had been more boring. I wish I had taken fewer risks and tried fewer new things.”
Take a look around you. It may upset you. You may weep. You may pray. But then, get up and start doing something about it. Find a charity working in an area that really moves your heart: orphans, drug addicts, homeless, whatever. And get involved.
Roll up your sleeves and become the Action Figure God has called you to be!