Productivity is not a goal; it is an attribute

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Paul had me in a quandry for awhile as I read in Philippians his comment, For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. (1:21)

It wasn't that I questioned the truth of the long treasured verse, it was that in this comment and his other discussion around it, he seemed to be too willing to let go of this life and get on with the next.

There is a time for such thinking of course, when one has lived a full life and the inevitable is facing us. But at the time Paul wrote this he had much more life to live and work to do. How could he be so prepared to simply walk away from this life with so much yet to accomplish for the Lord?

We have all heard of stories where a person dies long before their time, and the plattitudes come out about "How the Lord can use this in the lives of others, as others consider the meaning of the life of the wonderful person that has passed away."

And we understand that there is some truth to that, but the logical part of our brain says, "Ya, but what if they had stayed living? Wouldn't that have been better? Wouldn't they have been able to impact even more people? And what about their families, as in wives or husbands or children that have been left without them? How is having them without their loved one a "better" situation?

We don't articulate those things except in private perhaps, or maybe even at all. But deep down inside something nags at us for an answer to something that just doesn't make sense to us.

That same "something" nagged at me as I read of Paul's willingness to let this life go and move on to the next.

Finally the light bulb went on: I was looking at life and our relationshp with God in a very deficient way.

Growing up in a home where having a work ethic was prized and productivity was to be sought after, I could not imagine that having some one like Paul in heaven rather than on earth, is a "better" thing. Too much productivity for the Kingdom would be lost for that to make sense.

Not so, if productivity isn't our target, it dawned on me.

This may sound obvious and maybe you have already understood this...and it may sound seem not very profound, but believe me it is. It will set you free if you understand it correctly. Here it is:

Productivity for the Lord is not our goal as believers; it is simply an attribute of a healthy Christian life.

Ephesians 2 tells us that "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared for us that we might walk in them."

You see, the "good works" are not God's ultimate target....we are. We are his workmanship. The good works are to be "walked in," yes, that is, we are to do them. But doing "good works" (sharing our faith, serving others etc.)is an attribute of a person being shaped into the likeness of Christ. It is not the ultimate goal.

The ultimate goal for a believer is not to rack up an impressive list of spiritual accomplishments, it is to be like Christ. Accomplishments will take care of themselves as the "fruit" of the attribute of being productive for the Lord in all that we do and say.

Again, I know this may not sound all that profound, but if you are a "word person," a person that understands that how a person articulates a thought or a concept to themselves can truly make a difference in life, you will perhaps grasp that the idea that productivity for the Lord is an attribute of a healthy Christian and not the ultimate goal, has the potential to absolutely life changing for some.

Go out an enjoy your life for the Lord. Acknowledge him in all that you do. Be productive, be efficient, work hard. But know that he tresures you...he treasures YOU! You are his workmanship. Productivity, while an important attribute in a healthy Christian life, is not the goal.

So much is it not the goal, that if the Lord chooses to take the most productive person on the planet at the time...Paul...home to be with God in glory, Paul is able to say, "Wow, to live is Christ, but you know, to die and be with him is truly ultimate gain."

No regret for tasks yet undone. How could he be that way? Because he was productive of course. He took every thought captive and made the most of the time...and that is all we can do. The results and the scope and the depth of "our" impact is up to the Lord. We can be at peace knowing that productivity isn't the driving slave master that we once thought it was. It is simply an attribute.

Productivity...stay in your attribute category and get off my "to do" list. Amen