Musick-al Note # 87
Perhaps all of us indulge in wishful thinking at times as we begin to plan for greater works to be accomplished. Such dreaming has its place in the lives of leaders for these people know they must put their thoughts or ‘wishes’ into action to bring about great accomplishments in their lives. These people know that ‘wishing’ won’t make it happen if all they do is wish. Young people have a lot of desires. They ‘wish’ they had more friends. They ‘wish’ they had more money. They ‘wish’ they had a car. They ‘wish’ they were more popular. They ‘wish’ that things were different. They ‘wish’ their parents and teachers would get off their backs. They ‘wish’ for many things which others seem to have and they do not have. YET all their ‘wishing’ won’t make it happen. To have friends, one must be friendly (Proverbs 18:24). To have money or the things money will buy, one must work (Ephesians 4:28). To get parents and teachers to cease nagging and harping about school work, one must get his assignments done. To cause things to be different, we must become different and this requires working at the job.
Older people have not all leaned this lesson. We ‘wish’ we had more Bible knowledge. We “wish” the church was friendlier. We ‘wish’ the church would grow. We ‘wish’ others would do more or be more dedicated. In short, we ‘wish’ things were different. Yet all our ‘wishing’ won’t make it happen. We must work to make the church grow. We must visit, teach and convert other people to make the church grow. Turn your back upon visitation, teaching and evangelizing and all our ‘wishing’ will not cause the church to grow. To have a friendly congregation, we must be friendly. If we rush out the door, never greet the stranger, and fail to associate with others in their homes, never have company to your home, and never gather with others in the church for friendly association with them, the church will always be unfriendly. To grow in the knowledge of the Bible, we must study, meditate and study the Book. No other method will bring it about.
We ‘wish’ things were different, that others would do more or that others were more dedicated. We cannot ‘force’ others to accept their responsibilities nor can we ‘make’ them do more in the church. Only by changing myself and by rededicating my life to the Master, we can make a ‘difference’ within the church.
‘Wishing’ won’t make it happen but ‘working’ will.
Gordon Musick
Musick-al Notes 