Capacity

Maximum capacity....

      Exactly what is our capacity? Have you ever felt like you've had "enough"? When everyone else seems to be happy with life as it is? A ever growing rumble of discontentment? Not sure why because everyone says you are fortunate? But itlike it's all just stale? Feel as if you're settling? Everyone says you should be thankful and you're being ungrateful. Could be your job, your relationship, your marriage, your church, your friendships....even your house or city you live in.

     I'm going to be transparent about my own experience. For this purpose you should know I am not religious but I am in a relationship with God. I am not a christian by choice....I am a disciple of His by destiny.  So do understand there will not be religious rhetoric but I will refer to the way my life is governed by His principles.  (No worries if this confuses you. Most christians don't get it either.)

     I've always known that I was meant for more. To make a difference in millions of lives. Although never encouraged as a child by a bitter single mom, my grandmother encouraged my big dreams. But with every accomplishment and every misstep...I knew there was more. I found purpose as a minister of minister for several ministries in my lifetime. Unfortunately I have discovered that with every ministry I have been blessed to be a part of, there has always been an overwhelming tendency of those working with me to assume that I had arrived to stay. I tend to believe that most in ministry, instead of seeing people with gifts and talents as trees to be cultivated, grown, and sent out to replicate.....they see them as wood to be cut down to build up their vision and dreams.

Here's a little nugget: If the departure of any one person would cause any discomfort in your business, church or organization....you have placed too much weight on that one beam. They should never be a load bearing wall....but a tree in a forest of flourishing people....providing shade and fruit.

    But I disgress, I have been on this road of uncommon destiny for a decade now. I'm used to not being understood.  The unrest in my belly has been building for 15 years. Its to the point that I can't physically stomach mediocrity. I prefer not to have any conversations with the small minded. It feels as if I'm dishonoring the minutes of life God gives me by wasting it with those that choose to remain superficial.  I'm of two minds about it all. I recognize that I must extend grace to those that don't quite "get it" yet because there's a whole heap of things I don't "get" yet. But where is the point where you start sacrificing your purpose, destiny and dreams to stay stuck in the mediocre crap heap that everyone else seems perfectly happy to wallow in? God plainly said to me, "Enough is enough...time to move and stop being their crutch." So I did. 

The Bible says in Joshua 24:15  (KJV)

15 "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

The generally accepted interpretation of this scripture is "choose between the devil and God". But that's the lazy interpretation of someone who doesn't want to be accountable for their own life. "gods" is lowercase because people serve all sorts of gods. Including christians. I will not serve anyone else's "god" of interpretation of what "church" looks like. I will not serve a denomination. I will not serve theology. I will not serve popularity. Not a hot band. Not having a great sounding praise team. Or a hype service. Nor emotional junkies. All "gods". Whether we want to admit it or not.....they are. I will not serve the god of fundraising. 

     Quite simply, how can I claim to serve the all powerful God, claim special access to Him, say I am an overcome (as a black man and a christian); say I am made in the likeness of a God of abundance and live in abject poverty (less than 60k a year) and a life of insignificance? And be surrounded by people who actually think that's ok? I cant. I wont. Not any longer. I can't look my daughters in the eyes and expect any better of their future husbands. Any one with any common sense can't do the same....not honestly.

    I've been blessed to acquire relationships with people that share my discomfort with the ordinary. I am so excited to move into the unknown with them. I love those I've had to disconnect from. But they've made their decision by their actions.  I will always have an extended hand to help them up. But I will not help decorate a house built in the squallor of mediocrity.

      I refuse. I will not disappoint God by misrepresenting Him. He is love. So will I be. He is grace. So will I be. He lives in abundance which He shares with others.....so will I. He has destined me for a life of significance on a global scale.....solely for one purpose.....to show the world what is possible with the kid that made all the wrong choices....told he would never amount to anything....and written off by all.....

I refuse to live and die....nothing more than a great musician.....good organist.....good producer....good preacher....good friend....Good dad.....a good church member.....i was meant for more....so much more. The word christian means "Christ like". Its a cliche nowadays. A catch phrase. What it really means is to experience what Christ experienced here.

The Bible says in Matthew 5: 10-12

10 “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.

11-12 “Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble."

Seems to me...I'm on the right course. Because I have reached my capacity for mediocrity. And the only ones upset are the ones my gifts are no longer availiable to. It's called sifting.....separating the wheat from the tares.
The ones that see my destiny applaud my growth and having been pushing me to move....and there's the other group.

   Real talk....it might be time for you to take inventory and dare to be about the faith you've been singing and spewing but not living. Find out who's really about you reaching your destiny or about you reaching into your pocket to fill theirs.

Are you at your maximum capacity for mediocrity?