As I have been updating this site the thing that has saddened me is the just how many changes have happened. Some web sites have have completely disappeared. In other cases a quick search has led to another link to the same organisation being found. In one case I even found a potted history of the demise of that ministry. It revolved around how and why the life of the person who established the ministry had changed and how this had effected what they were doing.
Reading that story I was reminded of the importance of developing character. In fact some say that developing your character so that it becomes more Christlike is the most important thing that a Christian can do. It is that character that underpins everything that we do.
It is strength of character that helps us do what the bible tells us to do. It is closely linked to having the beliefs that are closely aligned with biblical teaching. I don’t just mean beliefs like those enshrined in things like the Apostle’s Creed and other statements of orthodox Christian doctrine. I mean accepting the truth that we are marvellously and wonderfully made and therefore are beautiful people inside and out. So wonderful that we are seen by God as being good enough to love. I mean accepting the truth that we have enough and are enough to succeed and become the person God intended us to be.
The story I read about the ministry that disappeared was so sad. I could see how the difference between what that person believed was right and what the bible said was right had caused so many problems. No strong and lasting structure can be built on poor foundations. Foundations that are not strong enough to take the weight of the structure above them will fail and the building will crack or even completely collapse.
It is when we are put under pressure that we can see what we are made of. When the pressure comes do we collapse and stay on the ground or do we have the strength and ability to pick ourselves up and carry on.
We can dance and get involved in this kind of worship with our whole body and literally worship God with everything that we have but still not make the progress developing our character that God wants us to have. Yes worship like this can be an expression of closeness even intimacy with God but being close is not enough. Something has to rub off onto us so that we become the people that He would like us to become. We are loved and wanted and accepted as we are but we are loved too much for God to want us to stay as we are. His love means that He wants us to improve and come more and more into line with His best for us. Just like any parent wants the best for their children.
The upside of checking all these links is seeing how people have moved on in their journey. Little businesses have thrived and grown. People have thrived and grown and entered into new phases of life where they have been entrusted with doing more things. These are the ones who have been tried with small things and then when they have been proved to be a safe pair of hands they have been given more to do.
These are the people who have been rewarded for using what they were given wisely and then have been given more. People who don’t just know the theory behind the parable of the talents but who have experienced it.