What would you do if today was your LAST DAY?

I thought about some advice I recently saw on one of those Facebook meme’s, and at first glance, it was such a nice sentiment.

LIVE EVERYDAY LIKE IT’S YOUR LAST 

Then I realized how impossible that would be.

If I knew today was my last day, what would be the most important things to me?  What would I want to do with my last 24 hours?

These things certainly wouldn’t make the list:

Clean the house

Do laundry

Pay bills

Go to work

For that one day and maybe even 2 days or a week even, it would be okay.  But can you imagine what would happen if I lived everyday like that?

My house would be filthy – and I’d be there to live in that filthy mess!  I wouldn’t like that at all.  I especially wouldn’t like anyone else to come to my home and discover such a pigpen!

My bills would all be late which would hurt my credit and eventually all my utilities would be shut off.  Which would probably be okay since I wouldn’t have the money to pay them anyway, as I stopped going to work.

What would I do with my days instead?

It’s my last 24 hours – I’d want to:

What?  What would we REALLY do with them if we knew absolutely these were our last 24 hours to live and breathe on this earth?

The reality is, we ought to live like any moment could be our last, but not to the exclusion of the things that simply must be taken care of in the event tomorrow is going to come.

I was reading through the Gospels again recently, and one of the things that really stuck out this time through was how Jesus managed to get all the mundane, daily things done that needed to be done, but also took care of the really important stuff, too.

He did those things in the midst of doing the daily chores.  

He did the daily chores in the midst of doing the miracles.

He miraculously fed over 5000 people with just 2 loaves of bread and 3 fish while taking care of the daily task of preparing lunch.

He ministered to a truly hurting woman who stood accused by those wanting to put her to death during the course of His job as a teacher.

While house cleaning He swept His Fathers temple clear of money changers and other assorted vermin.   

Because He lived each day with the right mindset and attitude a woman who had been very ill for 12 years was able to benefit from a momentary, fleeting encounter with Him while he was en route to another appointment in the course of His day.

Watching Him, his disciples learned that they too could go about their daily lives, making a living, cleaning their homes, doing their chores, in such a deliberate fashion that allowed the Holy Spirit to work through them to touch the lives of others in meaningful ways that would have eternal consequences.

Whether catching fish, collecting taxes or cooking meals they could affect change in the world around them by effecting the people around them with righteous attitudes and faith behaviors while executing the ordinary chores of their daily lives.  Just like Jesus did.  Just like we can.

Colossians 3:22-24

Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;

 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Who knew the daily grind could be so exciting and productive?  How might you go about your daily life, taking care of those necessary chores, while also living deliberately to accomplish "The List" Jesus instructed His followers to complete?

What ways are you living out your Christian faith while going about daily tasks?  Share your examples below! 

One True Story

What's the first thing you do when you move to a new place, perhaps a different city or another state?

Right - I had to find replacements for all the services I'd enjoyed in my previous living place.

Doctor & Dentist

Grocery & Pharmacy

Hair Salon - and this is where the story gets interesting.

Everyone knows that the main event in any hair salon are the stories that are shared.  Stylist to client, client to stylist, stylist to stylist and so on.  I can't imagine sitting in a stylists chair and not asking about their life or answering questions about my own.  I'm sure that happens, but I'm guessing not very often.

I saw a salon that had a very bright and colorful sign at the roadside.  Okay, so how do you pick a new hairdresser when you don't know anyone in town yet?  I liked the name, I liked the colors and it was convenient, right on my way to and from my new job.

I dropped in one afternoon, met a very nice woman and made an appointment to have my hair cut.
For the next year or so I went fairly regularly and the woman, who turned out to be the shop owner, cut my hair, sometimes the same style, and sometimes we experimented. But every time we talked.

I asked about her life.  I asked about her family.  I listened as she shared about her husband and the ups and downs of family life.  I listened as she spoke about her concerns for her children and raising them well, making good decisions for them and choosing the best course of action in any given situation.

Through it all, I offered my thoughts and opinions.  I shared biblical principle's with her on a regular basis, though I seldom actually quoted the bible.  I shared wisdom from Proverbs and Psalms, encouraged her in every way I possibly could and shared stories from my own life that exampled some of the things I was sharing with her.

Until the day when we'd gotten comfortable with each other and had established an easy friendship that included a sense of trust.  She had some serious questions about a few serious matters occurring in her life.  I made it clear the serious answers were found in Jesus, She listened attentively.  She didn't feel comfortable accepting an invitation to church.  Shortly after that, I was moving on once more to continue the ministry work I was called to do.  On my last visit to her shop, I brought with me a bible, where I had inscribed a message of hope on the inside.

Several years went by and once in while, I thought about her and prayed for her.  Then we had occasion to visit the area again, as we'd been invited by my husbands childhood friend to visit a new church he was involved in planting.

As we worshiped in song that morning, I kept thinking to myself that I knew the woman sitting in the front pew, glorifying God with passion and sincerity.  All through the service I admit I was slightly distracted, trying to place where I knew her from.

When the service had concluded, our friend asked us to come to the front and meet his new Pastor, which we were glad to do.  We shook hands and praised God at this new and needed work to bring the Gospel message to this town.  And then I turned around.

A woman glowing in the love of Christ stood waiting, a blue bible in her hand.  She smiled and said "Do you remember me?  I read the Bible you gave me!"  It was my dear hairdresser, holding the Bible I'd given her as a gift before I left, opened to the inscription I'd written:

"You were right," she told me, "all the answers I needed were in here."  I cried as we hugged and caught up with each other.

Seemingly insignificant acts committed in the love of Christ transform people dead in trespasses and sins to new creations with Eternal Life in Christ Jesus.

THAT IS HOW GOD WORKS!  

*This is a true story!