Stiff-necked...

This morning I woke up with a very stiff and sore neck. I had to wake up early to dig footings for the new church in Tabacal with a team from Kids Alive. They had not told me the team was coming until last week and I was not looking forward to working again with Kids Alive and now my neck hurt too. I have been thinking a lot about my distaste for Kids Alive and how to “love your enemies”Lk6:27-36. I have also been reading the Pentateuch where Israel grumbles or chooses to obey certain parts of the Law and not others. For these of God’s people who continue to do wrong in spite of their knowledge of right he calls them “stubborn” or “stiff-necked”. Almost immediately I saw the connection. My neck was a constant reminder throughout the day of my need to choose to obey all God requires and love the people of Kids Alive.

The people on the team focused on Doug (missionary with Kids Alive) for their questions about the design. This thoroughly frustrated me because the church in Tabacal has nothing to do with Kids Alive, It was MY project, but it was a personal pride issue in my heart. The truth of the matter was that he was a great help there and of course the people from the team brought their questions to him, they had been working with him all week and were used to asking him.

Following Christ requires my whole attention and commitment to all that he requires of me every day. I must take up my cross or I am not worthy to be his disciple. Lk9:23, 14:25-27

-Eric