Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. If you puff yourself up, you'll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you're content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty. (Matthew 23:11-12 The Message)
Someone once told me that you have to throw a lot of spaghetti against a wall before some of it will begin to stick. I've found that statement to be extremely accurate.
Part of the ministry to marriages that I'm blessed to be involved in includes a weekly e-letter/devotional on marriage and family topics. That statement prompted me to set a goal to get that e-letter into as many homes, ministering to as many marriages, as possible. I have pursued this goal for over two years and have recently switched to a distributor as my personal e-mail provider would no longer allow for the weekly volume. I was excited. I thought, just maybe, I was accomplishing that goal.
However, I'm still human and with that excitement, I fear, came a little bit of pride. Yeah, I was a little "puffed up". God has a funny way of bringing me back down whenever that happens.
Among the many features and benefits of using a e-mail distributor comes a tracking tool that tells me who opens and reads the e-letter that week. Let's just say, I was humbled when I realized that over 80% of the spaghetti that I've been throwing is not sticking to the wall. 80% of the e-letters are never opened or read. (Cue the sound of a balloon deflating)
So, I've been examining my heart and, more importantly, asking God to examine it. Is gaining a large following of readers the true purpose for my writing ministry? Or, does my reason for writing stem from obedience to the one who called me to write?
New Paradigm
I'm still going to keep throwing spaghetti. The change I am choosing to make is to allow God to determine where it lands and, ultimately, where it sticks.
Are you more concerned with where the spaghetti you're throwing sticks or that you're simply obedient and keep throwing it?
Someone once told me that you have to throw a lot of spaghetti against a wall before some of it will begin to stick. I've found that statement to be extremely accurate.
Part of the ministry to marriages that I'm blessed to be involved in includes a weekly e-letter/devotional on marriage and family topics. That statement prompted me to set a goal to get that e-letter into as many homes, ministering to as many marriages, as possible. I have pursued this goal for over two years and have recently switched to a distributor as my personal e-mail provider would no longer allow for the weekly volume. I was excited. I thought, just maybe, I was accomplishing that goal.
However, I'm still human and with that excitement, I fear, came a little bit of pride. Yeah, I was a little "puffed up". God has a funny way of bringing me back down whenever that happens.
Among the many features and benefits of using a e-mail distributor comes a tracking tool that tells me who opens and reads the e-letter that week. Let's just say, I was humbled when I realized that over 80% of the spaghetti that I've been throwing is not sticking to the wall. 80% of the e-letters are never opened or read. (Cue the sound of a balloon deflating)
So, I've been examining my heart and, more importantly, asking God to examine it. Is gaining a large following of readers the true purpose for my writing ministry? Or, does my reason for writing stem from obedience to the one who called me to write?
New Paradigm
I'm still going to keep throwing spaghetti. The change I am choosing to make is to allow God to determine where it lands and, ultimately, where it sticks.
Are you more concerned with where the spaghetti you're throwing sticks or that you're simply obedient and keep throwing it?
No comments:
Post a Comment