Willingness
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
Isaiah 6:8
I read an interesting article about the power of our “yeses” and our “nos.”
When meeting new people, the author suggested that we should always come from the viewpoint or stance of: “How can I help this person?” He then challenged the reader to think about their “default setting”—Are you quick to say “yes” to things, or quick to say “no”?
According to the article, someone who is quick to say “yes” and willing to take on tasks has more options, builds more rapport, and will develop a better network of trustworthy people.
Conversely, someone who is quick to say “no” tends to impede progress. The options are stopped, the next step cannot happen, and relationships are more difficult to develop.
As I reflected on the author’s astute words, my mind began going down another road:
When God asks something of me, what’s my “default setting”?
Am I quick to say “yes”, or quick to say “no”?
When it comes to being busy, serving others, and taking on new tasks, I am definitely a default “yes” person. I like a full calendar, I’m confident in my abilities to get the job done, and I enjoy the opportunity to serve in a variety of capacities.
But when God asks for my time, talent, or treasure….
….my “yes” reaction time slows way down.
I tend to think of excuses. I tend to seek comfort. I tend to hold onto the things He’s asking me to let go of.
I tend to take a while before I say “Yes, Lord.”
Does this sound familiar in your life?
If we are truly desirous of serving our Great God, we need to be as willing to say “yes” to Him, as we are to other lesser things.
How do we do this? His word offers us two simple coaching points:
- Maintain a willing relationship
Obviously, we want to quickly and willingly say “Yes, Lord” like Isaiah did.
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)
But this does not happen over night. Isaiah was able to do so because he had been in the presence of the Lord, seeking His face, listening to His direction. When we are in right relationship with our Heavenly Father, it is that much easier to willingly say, “yes” to His call.
- Keep it simple
In Jesus’ day, many citizens, leaders, and religious leaders were relying on sworn oaths, full of jargon and excess conditions, in order to say, “yes” to doing something. In Matthew 5, Jesus cut to the chase:
“All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” (Matthew 5:37)
Jesus’ message is clear. When God calls—just answer Him! He doesn’t need excuses about your calendar. He doesn’t need to hear about your tight budget. He already knows these things. He’s the provider. He has a good and perfect plan. And He needs your help to carry it out!
What a privilege!
That is….if we say “YES” to the opportunity.
Today, consider your “default setting” when God comes calling. Are you quick to say “yes” to Him? If not, pursue a willing relationship with God so you are in sync with Him and ready to serve. And when He does call keep it simple. No excuses. No explanations. Just a servant’s heart, ready to say, “Yes, Lord!”
