How much of life is about YOU?  I think if we are honest we could say most of our lives are about us.  Jesus spent much of his life ministering to the needs of those around him.  He seemed to be more aware of the mission God had given him, than the hurt people had caused him. 

It seems to me that the church would be a stronger place if we would focus on our   purpose and mission of reaching the world, rather than our own desires.  How many times do we complain about the way things are at church? We can be so set on seeing things done the way we think they should be done that we totally miss the mission of inviting people to church.  I have been around long enough to know that there is no perfect church.  There are no perfect people.  We need to learn to leave the baggage of criticism, unforgiveness, and hurt at the foot of the cross and pickup the greater mission of reaching the world.  To put it bluntly we need to get over ourselves.

Paul in his letter to the Philippians said, “…put yourself aside…”  “Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage.”  There is a mission that is greater than my own feelings.  I must be about my Fathers business.  How about you?

Jesus was a teacher.  He taught not only orally, but by example.  Mark 11:1-3 is one such example.  So what can we learn from the great teacher today?  Let's look into a typical day in the life of Jesus and His disciples.  Jesus had issued a request that the disciples go into the village, upon their arrival they would find a donkey tied to a post that know man had sat upon.  He told them to untie the colt, bring it to Him and if any one ask about it let them know that the Lord has need of it. Don't miss the last part, "He will send it back immediately".  What strikes me in this story is Jesus had a need.  I mean he turned the water into wine, why not turn one of the disciples into a donkey. Hey it happened in Pinocchio!  I am amazed at how many times that when Jesus faced a need he turned to those he trusted.  Whatever needs Jesus may face we must never forget he needs us. He instructed them to untie what he needed.  What is it in my own life that Jesus is asking me to untie in order for Him to use it.  Is it fear, pride, material goods, greed, judgmentalism, time,... what is it?  If we are going to meet the needs of humanity we have to let go of some things and give them to Jesus.  However, whatever we give to him he always pays back.  The bible says, "He who gives to the poor, loans to the Lord, and he will repay."  I don't know about you, but my guess is that what we untie and give to Him, he gives is back in better shape.  For our fear He gives faith, pride - humility, greed - contentment, judgment - grace, for our material goods he supplies our need.  God always pays back; what he ask is that we untie what he has need of.  What do you need to untie today and trust God?

Dirty Jobs is a program on the Discovery Channel in which host Mike Rowe is shown performing difficult, strange, and/or messy occupational duties alongside professional workers. I was thinking about Joseph of Aramathea in the Bible.  This is the prominent business man who came to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus after he had been crucified.  You talk about a dirty job.  Can you imagine what the body of Christ must have looked like, after an endless beating and a horrible crucifixion, not to mention the labor it took for this man to dig out a tomb suitable to put the body in. Joseph literally moved the body of Christ from death to life.  I believe that is exactly what God is calling us to do.  The Bible refers to the church as the Body of Christ.  I believe that the church today is dead when it comes to being relevant with the issues that people are facing in their lives.  Most of us as Christ - followers are comfortable just going to church and living our easy lives, while people around us are hurting.  I don't say that in a judgmental way, because I know it is not something we do intentionally, it's just the sway of they.  It's just the way it is.  I believe that God is looking for people who don't mind getting dirty, people who don't mind reaching down into the muck and mire of humanity and making a difference.  For to long the church has been "STUCK".  But what is it going to take to make a change?  Hard working men and women who are doing what it takes to reach people. If you are going to be a part of moving the Body of Christ for death to life you have to be willing to buy in to it.  It's not easy. How hard was it for Joseph to carve out and dig out a place for the Body of Christ to have a habitation in that city?  How about in your city?  It takes some sweat equity to build a church.  It takes some people willing to role up their sleeves and say, whatever it takes I'm going to do my part. Ministry is a four letter word, "STAY".  Joseph understood if you're going to build a great church you have to stay.  The greatest ability is stick-ability.  You just have to get in, dig it out, and stay.  It's a dirty job.