For Duty or Love

My son, Joshy, really likes history and does his History homework quickly and without any delay.  He likes his History teacher and the course content.  Spanish is another story.  He couldn't stand Spanish 3.  He would drag out every homework assignment for ages.  We had to "threaten" him to get the work done.  I guess the acorn didn't fall too far from the tree.  I do the same thing.  If I like a project or an assignment, I can spend hours making sure it is done properly and really enjoy it.  On the other hand, if I have to do somethng out of "duty", it seems like a form of torture.

Today is Good Friday.  And this time of year I often wonder how Jesus felt about about dying on the cross.  Was it for love or was it out of duty?  We know that He didn't want to be crucified.  He was human.  Nobody in their right mind would want to be crucified.  Have you ever seen The Passion of the Christ?  Although just a depiction, the crucifiction scene showed a brutal, barbaric way to die.  But I think to say he was crucified even though he didn’t want to be crucified is to take the idea too far. I believe He wanted to sacrifice on our behalf, he just didn’t want to feel the torture and the pain. A mother wants to give birth, but she doesn’t want to feel pain either. Still, if you tell her it’s going to hurt terribly, she’s not going to back out of it, she wants to have the baby. If I asked my dad why he sacrificed so much for me, I believe he would say that he loves me.  That is certainly more affirming than answering that it was his duty as a father.  I know for a fact that I sacrifice for my family because I love them.  There is no sense of duty whatsoever. I imagine you feel the same way.

I think that in order to live a more fulfilling and joyful life, it is necessary to start serving in the ways that you are gifted to serve, and cut out all the duty and obligation and pride stuff.  Really. If you are teaching out of a sense of obligation, stop. Literally stop as soon as you can. Instead, find something that gets you fired up. Who knows what that something is… Maybe it’s plumbing or carpentry work, maybe it’s counseling executives, maybe it’s walking people’s dogs or planting a community garden. Who knows, but serve in a way God has wired you to serve. I think He actually wants you to enjoy it, not offer it as some sort of sad sacrifice. Can you imagine your parents wanting you to be miserable all the time? Why do we imagine God would be any different?

I am going to start challenging myself to serve out of love rather than out of sacrifice and duty.  I think that's what God does.  I believe that is how we should function also.