Excerpted From
3 Words That Will Change Your Life
By Mike Novotny
A few years back, I read a leadership book that encouraged me to craft a personal mission statement—a short and sweet, memorable line that would hang on the wall and remind me of the reason I exist.
No pressure, right?
This was before my Psalm 73 epiphany, so I didn’t think much about God’s glory and presence in those days. However, God must have been nudging me in that direction, because what I chose was essentially a wordy way to say, “This!”
My mission statement read, “My mission is to reflect the character of God in everything I do.”
I went on to explain how I wanted my children to know the love of our heavenly Father through my love as their earthly father. I wanted my wife to grasp the goodness of being part of the bride of Christ by the way I treated and cherished her. I wanted my church to know what it was like to have Jesus as their Good Shepherd by the way I guided, nourished and protected them with the Word of God.
In other words, my mission was to be their “This!” I wanted the people in my life to see a glimpse of God when they saw me.
And that is your mission too.
You might be organized or spontaneous, thoughtful or humorous. You might know how to lighten the mood, connect with someone who is socially awkward or cast an inspiring vision for the future. Maybe you have a high-powered job or feel like another cog in the company machine. You may be the captain of the varsity squad or the backup to the backup punter. You might be a respected volunteer at your church or a member who flies under the radar. You might write books, change diapers, prepare publicity campaigns or unclog toilets. Christians have radically different roles in life, but no matter what you do or what gifts you have, your mission is to be “This!” to others.
Jesus said it this way, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). People glorify God, they remember what a big deal he is, when they see your goodness, patience, forgiveness, compassion, selflessness and generosity.
So, when you take time to write an encouraging email, the recipient can say, “This is how encouraged I will feel in the presence of God.”
And when you put down your phone and give your son your full attention, your son can think, “This is how much God pays attention to me.”
And when you surprise the bored cashier with genuine conversation, she can think, “This is how much time God has for me.”
And when you unload the dishwasher even though it’s officially your wife’s chore, she can think, “This is how much God serves me.”
And when you have hard conversations that lead to actual reconciliation, your friend can think, “This is how much God wants to keep being close to me.”
Think of yourself like the moon. It lights up the sky and inspires poets and songwriters. But the only reason you see the moon is because of the sun. The moon is only reflecting the light that comes from an unseen source. Just like you reflect the light of the unseen God.
Don’t you love the purpose and potential of that idea? You exist to help people think the most important thought in the world—God!
Every moment of every day, you can be their “This!”
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Excerpted from 3 Words That Will Change Your Life by Mike Novotny. Copyright 2020. Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Copyright 2020. Used by permission. BakerPublishingGroup.com