|
Completing the Right Assignment
In his book Doing Church as a Team, Wayne Cordeiro offers a powerful illustration: he likens the length of our lives on earth to a scratch, just the width of an ink mark from a pen, on an
infinitely long rope. That tiny mark represents our time here, while the rope symbolizes eternity. The point? We must not live for the scratch but for what comes after it.
Cordeiro shares a story that is both funny and sobering:
“A friend of mine once told me a story that still makes me chuckle. While in college, he approached the
end of the term still needing to complete a major paper in order to graduate. After sleepless nights and
many exhausting trips to the library, he finished the paper and turned it in.
Three days later, when the students received their graded work, he found this note from his professor
written in red ink:
‘Good research. Great illustrations. Wonderful bibliography. Grade: F ... WRONG ASSIGNMENT!’
I still laugh when I think of his story, but it holds a poignant truth for each of us. I certainly don’t want to stand before God on that final day and hear Him say: ‘Nice house. Great job. Beautiful boat. Impressive salary. Grade: F ... WRONG ASSIGNMENT!’
I imagine the Lord could even say that to churches:
‘Great building program. Nice socials. Powerful prayer meetings. Stunning sanctuary renovation. Grade:
F ... WRONG ASSIGNMENT!
When we get to heaven, we’ll see golden streets, mansions, angels, cherubim, and seraphim. But one
thing we’ll never see again is a non-Christian. For the rest of eternity, we will never again have the opportunity to share the good news with someone who doesn’t know Christ. Now is our only chance to tell others about the hope that exists beyond the scratch, to share the redemptive story that leads to eternal life.”
That perspective should shake us awake.
Sometimes, we get so caught up in this incredibly short stretch of life that we lose sight of what really matters. Life isn’t just about doing something; it’s about doing the right things in light of eternity.
Here are a few eternally impactful pursuits worth prioritizing (not an exhaustive list—just a few
reminders for today:
• Investing in our children – Not merely for our emotional fulfillment, but to help them
discover their God-given purpose and prepare them for eternity.
• Living for God’s glory – Every act done with a heart to glorify God echoes in eternity.
No surrendered life is ever wasted, even in the smallest actions.
• Reaching the lost – As Cordeiro said, we’ll never see another unsaved soul in eternity.
Our mission is urgent. Love people to victory, now.
• Serving the Body of Christ with your gifts – You were uniquely designed to contribute. When you use your gifts to serve, you glorify God and strengthen His Church.
Let’s not waste our time living for “the scratch.” Let’s not get tangled up in the countless distractions. Instead, let the most important things take priority in your life, starting today.
| 
