“Hold yourself accountable before you are held accountable.” (Unknown Quote)
While ultimately my inspiration comes from the Lord, He at times uses the actions of others as a source of huma inspiration. Here is an example. One of my long-time friends, my former senior manager, and a sure brother in the Lord, shared with me about how he kept a smile journal on a daily basis. I believe that this not only helped him track how many times that he let his Christian light shine and bring smiles to others, but it also served as a reminder that he had a mission of bringing a smile to someone or more the one person every day. The smile journal was not used for the purpose of gaining applause for his daily actions, but rather it was to keep Him accountable in terms of ministering to others in ways that made their day better, brought them smiles with a new founded joy, or reminded them of the blessed assurance that no matter what they are experiencing, the Lord still loves them, The smile journal! What an innovative, individually designed, personal ministry.
This smile journal made me think of how often we pass by people everyday and avoid eye contact, evading our responsibility to encourage one another, and escaping our responsibility of helping saddened people, and being an agent to help someone replace their frowns with smiles. It caused me to contemplate on how the Christ in us is that needed impetus to make people know that the Lord is still smiling on them. Furthermore, it made me think that perhaps we ought to have some kind of journal to hold ourselves accountable, much like my long-time friend. Oh stop and think about it! There are many options, on top of the “Smile Journal.” There is the “Witnessing Journal,” the “Being Kind to Others Journal,” the “Doing It To The Least of These Journal,” the “Forgiveness Journal,” the “Complimenting Others Journal,” the “Sharing of the Word Journal,” the “Flip The Script Journal” where we can inject our testimony in the midst of a conversation, changing the focus on what one does not have to the many blessings he or she does have. And of course there is the “Prayer Journal,” the “The Workman That Need Not Be Ashamed Journal,” where we note the time(s), daily, that we diligently devote ourselves to the study of God’s word, and there is the “Let Everything That Has Breath Praise the Lord Journal.”
My friend, pick up one of those unused notebooks in your house. Or go to the dollar store and by a notebook. While you are in the big box retail store, buy a journal book found in the stationary aisle. Use one of those notepads that you get in the mail from charitable organizations. Start a running log in your computer. I’d better stop right here with these multiple suggestions. I’m starting to sound like Chris Rock, minus the profanity. Smile!
However, seriously, consider using a journal like my brother in the Lord does, as a means to hold yourself accountable for being a disciple of the Lord, an ambassador of Christ, a good soldier on the battlefield for the Lord, or an agent that does not have to act in secrecy. Let your journal be the impetus that ignites an impulse to reveal your identity as a child of God out in the open! Think about this, but go beyond thinking. Respond and really start the journal that works best for you and will certainly benefit others.
May God bless you and may His presence shine on you all throughout this day. Listen to the words of Paul to the believers at Philippi in the closing verses and take them as the Lord is specifically talking to you for a specific purpose. Take it personal. Be blessed!
“Meanwhile, live in such a way that you are a credit to the Message of Christ. Let nothing in your conduct hang on whether I come or not. Your conduct must be the same whether I show up to see things for myself or hear of it from a distance. Stand united, singular in vision, contending for people’s trust in the Message, the good news, not flinching or dodging in the slightest before the opposition. Your courage and unity will show them what they’re up against: defeat for them, victory for you—and both because of God. There’s far more to this life than trusting in Christ. There’s also suffering for him. And the suffering is as much a gift as the trusting. You’re involved in the same kind of struggle you saw me go through, on which you are now getting an updated report in this letter.” (Philippians 1:27-30 The Message Bible)
Mark L. King