Presently Absent

"I take shame to myself for my unprofitable attendance"
-Valley of Vision

Teacher: Susan?
Susan: Here.
Teacher: Billy?
Billy: PRESENT!!!!

Everyone had a Billy in their class...physically present, but mentally absent. Many of us nabbed a perfect attendance award sometime during our school years, but those awards said nothing of our effort. When you're six, Mom's gonna put you on the bus every chance she gets!

Whether kids or adults, we have all been presently absent at some point. We might get credit from others for being in class, at work, or even in church. But are we getting any credit in Heaven?

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Col 3:23 (NLT)

God doesn't tell us to work. He tells us to work well! Christians are placed as ambassadors to a watching world. Sometimes those watchers are less evident than at other times, which is why we must always work as though we're doing it for God rather than people.

Where are you present physically yet mentally absent?

• Your job is paying you, but your extended breaks and slack hands rob your employer.
• Your teacher invests their expertise in you, but you ignore their wisdom and preparation.
• Your church prepares a worship environment for you, but you fail to prepare spiritually

God's not handing out attendance awards. God rewards diligent hearts that fully invest themselves in whatever they're doing. If you have to be there, why not put in your best effort to glorify your Father in Heaven?

The Responsibility of Readiness

Our community has endured an incredibly tough run the last few weeks. Two of our local schools had students who made threats against the safety of their fellow students. Then we were further shaken by the horrific loss of two teenage brothers at the hands of their own father.

I’ve spent a lot of time around one of those schools in support, and noticed various encouraging messages like this one all over the building.

Other local schools followed suit, encouraging students to look for opportunities to stand ready for moments of support to outcast and downcast classmates. I’m inspired to see these administrators, teachers, and students respond positively to such tragedy.

I'm hopeful that this response to tragedy will remain in the future.
I'm hopeful also that Christians will assume greater responsibility to be pre-tragedy. 

We don’t need more nice people at school. We need more ambassadors for Christ at school.

We don’t need school-sanctioned prayer, but student-sparked prayer by students for students.

The world will remain sick with sin until the eternal reign of Jesus, so Christians have a responsibility of readiness. When faith in Christ is displayed prominently, our focus moves from arguing issues to sharing Jesus. As my evangelism professor said in seminary, "You'll never argue anyone into the kingdom of Heaven."

Are you available to the lonely person at school, work, or even church? It's more comfortable to stick with your clique, but our responsibility as Christians calls us to a higher standard.

So don't cast anyone away! When we see the outcast and downcast, let our hearts and minds be prepared to gather in and lift up! Not everyone will come to a full or immediate acceptance of Jesus, but when Christians live kindness, we reveal the hope of Jesus to people who have bought Satan's hopeless lies.