Dick Foth told the Freedom Tour community last Saturday that our efforts have eternal consequences.
I don’t know exactly how that works, and I suspect Dick doesn’t, either. But we know Jesus promised that when we gather in his name, he would be among us. And he promised he would use our efforts for good, mostly in ways we would likely never see or understand.
It’s actually sort of overwhelming, this notion that the simple act of riding a bike or handing out snacks and water can have eternal consequences. But it’s something all of us ought to keep in mind as we go about our daily activities.
It’s not the big stuff, the people on the stage, the huge amounts of money. It’s the everyday acts of kindness and generosity, stopping to greet a stranger, caring for someone who’s marginalized – Jesus seems intent on magnifying the actions we might dismiss or take for granted. Because that’s how he lived his life among us.
I’ll be honest – I don’t often think of my actions in terms of their eternal consequences. I’m guessing you probably don’t, either. Perhaps this is a good reminder that there are no unimportant behaviors. Everything we do matters.
Big, crazy dreams or apparently inconsequential daily interactions – it all matters, eternally.
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Speaking of crazy – today is my annual attempt to “ride my age.” I began this tradition a few years ago when I was younger and the number was smaller. Somehow, each year I seem to get a bit older and the number seems to get a bit larger. Crazy how that works.
So, today I will attempt to crank my spiffy new bike 74 miles.
My wise younger brother advises me to join the rest of the world and switch to the metric system, since 74 km would only be about 46 miles. At some point I may need to make that change, but for now I will stick to the silly US system.
I invite people to join me by donating to the kids at the Home of Hope. Your donations make a big difference in the lives of 22 very special children, and they inspire me as well.
Here’s the link if you would like to participate.