Graduate | A Stewardship of Devotion
My great-grandmother was Lela May Jensen. I called her Mamoo. She was born in 1892. Our lives overlapped just enough that I had the privilege of knowing her and hearing some of her stories. She was born in a house that didn’t have running water, indoor plumbing, or electricity. She lived through World War 1, the Great Depression, World War 2, the Korean War, the conflict in Vietnam, and the Cold War. And then the day came when she sat in the comfort of her air-conditioned home and watched on television as a man walked on the moon!
Can you imagine living through so many changes?
At some level, it’s a kind of graduation. She didn’t ‘move on’ from one season to another. She moved deeper into a life that was rich with stories of family and friends. I remember some of her stories. Part of what I’ll never forget are stories about her faith. I have her Bible. While she graduated from many things, Mamoo never graduated from the gospel.
She understood that all of life is a stewardship of devotion. Devotion defines your direction and determines your destination. Devotion is the difference between an attic filled with dusty trophies and the story of a life you can’t wait to read again.
In I Corinthians 9, the apostle Paul tells us that his life and relationships are built around his devotion to Christ. His devotion to living and sharing the gospel compelled him to find ways to serve people and to help them see the beauty of the good news that changed his life forever.
Paul provides a simple pattern for connecting with people.
Introduce yourself - every great friendship begins with an introduction. (1 Cor. 9:19)
Be genuinely interested in what interests them. (1 Cor. 9:20-22)
Set aside your preferences without compromising your values. (1 Cor. 9:22)
Serve their needs. (1 Cor. 9:22)
Share the gospel. (1 Cor. 9:23)
Connecting with people is easy when you graduate from being self-conscious to the kind of devotion that moves you to see people the way God sees them. Beyond, “How’s your day?” Here are five questions to help you get to know someone:
What’s something you’re naturally good at but don’t really like?
When you have unexpected free time, what’s the first thing you want to do?
How would you or your closest friend describe your ‘vibe’?
What small, seemingly everyday thing always makes you smile?
When was the last time you changed your mind about a belief you felt strongly about?
Conversations happen more naturally than that, but you get the idea. Think of it like this: “There’s never a bad time for a good question.” Good questions lead to great friendships. But it’s better than that. Good conversations can lead to divine appointments - that moment when a willing witness meets a seeking soul.
It’s graduation day. Let your devotion to Christ move you to lasting friendships built on the good news of God’s grace.
