Y'all, I literally just finished the legendary Clark Sisters biopic on Lifetime. If you haven't watched, let me just say that the vocals in that movie were ON POINT! The actresses sang and recorded everything, and they KILLED IT! I could feel something powerful even sitting here in my living room, and it made me think of the power there is when we each walk in our gifting. James chapter one tells us that 'every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father..." God gives good gifts and we can choose to use them for His glory, just as the Clark Sisters have done and continue to do today. But just because you have and use a gift, that doesn't mean that you are living a life that is "holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service" (Romans 12:1).
In the movie, Dr. Mattie Moss Clark said that "your anointing is the life you live." Now, I don't know if that's what she said in real life. And there isn't a Bible verse that has these exact words. But I can say that there is a lesson here, one that hit hard when I first heard it. I can serve in the dance ministry and as a children's leader. I can minister via my IG and Facebook posts, or through this blog. But what matters most is "what [I] do when ain't nobody else looking but God," another quote from Dr. Moss Clark in the biopic. And if that ain't the truth!
We can think about when Samuel anointed David king in the midst of the entire household. Samuel thought that each of the older brothers LOOKED like they were the one, but God had not chosen any of them. We learn from this story that "man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (I Samuel 16:7). God sees us like no one else can, like no one else does. He knows our true motives; He knows what we do when we aren't serving at church or ministering via other platforms. And if that life doesn't match, what are we even doing?
The Clark Sisters have a song, Is My Living in Vain, and it really has me thinking. Here's a snippet of the lyrics:
Is my living in vain? Is my giving in vain? Is my praying in vain? Is my fasting in vain?
Am I wasting my time? Can the clock be rewind? Have I let my light shine? Have I made ninety-nine?
No, of course not It's not all in vain No, no Lord, no 'Cause up the road is eternal gain
When I sit down and reflect, the reality is difficult to face. If we truly ask ourselves these questions, what are the HONEST answers? I know for me, two questions stick out: Am I wasting my time? No, I'm not wasting all of my time, but when I check my cell phone and my average screen time is 7 hours/day, that says something. That tells me that there's more time to be praying, studying, working more efficiently, and connecting with people. I can be using my time differently to honor God. Have I let my light shine? Well, yes I have let my light shine, but have I let it shine its brightest? Have I let it shine before men so that they may see my good works and glorify GOD (Matthew 5:16), and not me? Have I let my light shine where God wants it to shine, or have I just let it shine where it feels comfortable?
If you're imperfect like me, it's not always easy to answer these questions. But it's necessary for us to have these moments of conviction so that we can CHOOSE to realign with God and His purpose for our lives. We don't have to sit in guilt or shame. Even if we are disappointed in ourselves, James chapter 4 tells us that "He gives more grace... to the humble." If allow these times of reflection with God to HUMBLE us then we will not stay stuck. We can heed the instructions given to us in the chapter: "submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded."
We each "fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23), but our Christian walk calls for us to continue to grow in the Lord. If the goal is to be more and more like Jesus, then the journey never ends. We will never "arrive" because that would make us Jesus. But we should daily "press on toward the goal to win the [heavenly] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14 AMP)." Because like the Clark sisters sang: up the road is eternal gain.
Remember that you are GRACED and God loves you so much.
April 14, 2020