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the number one and ten percent

This past weekend at Mountainview was a “tithing challenge” weekend.  Depending on their situation, we challenged people to begin giving, to give ten percent, or to give more than ten percent.

When it was time for communion, Mark Scott made this comment: “What if Jesus had only given ten percent?”  In other words, what if he had only healed ten percent of the people who came to him for help?  What if he had only taught one-tenth of what we have in the Gospels?  What if he had only shed ten percent of his blood?

Thankfully, Jesus gave one hundred percent.  He gave it all.  He held back nothing.

Which brings me to the number one.

  • You have one life.  What will you do with it?
  • You have one today.  How will you spend it?
  • You have one opportunity to leave a legacy.  What will it be?

In a casual round of golf you can take an occasional mulligan.  In general, life affords the same opportunity.  Only in life, the consequences are more serious (sorry golfers) and the cost of a do-over could be painful.

That’s why it’s unfortunate that many people go through life like the ball in a pinball machine — getting bounced to-and-fro by the bumpers of life.  Reacting instead of creating.  Blaming the circumstances.  Drifting through life rather than following a charted course.

Whether you live with purpose or drift aimlessly, life eventually ends either way.

How and when it ends is not up to you.  What you do with your one life one day at a time is.