Message from Scripture: 12/11/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today is Col. 3:23: “Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people.”

 

I don’t know where the phrase “passing the buck” originated, although some say it came from the 1800’s, and was a term used in playing poker in the West. Most famously, President Harry Truman had a sign on his desk that said, “The buck stops here,” meaning he would take responsibility for his actions. To “pass the buck” is to evade responsibility by passing it on to someone else. This was an appropriate response for someone in authority to take, something that we could learn from today.

 

Scripture tells us everything we do is being considered by God as being done for, or against, Him. Just how do we approach the life we live before Him, and the work we have to do in His kingdom? We can ignore serving Him, or fulfilling our responsibilities, passing it off to someone else, but we gain nothing in God’s estimate for doing that. It’s not what we say we will do, but what we actually do, or don’t do, that matters to Him. Solomon said, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going” (Eccl. 9:10). Once dead, we will give account to God for what we did or didn’t do, not what we had others do instead of ourselves (2 Cor. 5:10).

 

Jesus told of two sons whose father asked them to go work in his vineyard. One said no at first, but regretted it and went later. The other said he would, but never did. Jesus asked the question, “Which of the two did the will of his father?” (Matt. 21:31). When you consider the life you’re living, are you doing the will of the Father, or are you passing it off, hoping someone else will do it for you instead? Let’s serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by offering ourselves to Him, fully and completely. When it comes to serving in the kingdom, do you pass the buck? Think about it. God bless.

 

Robert