Why Not?

We know that only God is truly good, full of goodness and mercy, consistent, steadfast in all of His ways.  So, when we talk about doing good, we recognize that as humans, that is an impossibility in and of ourselves. True goodness is manifested as we align our lives with Almighty God.  Micah 6:8
says:
8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

The only way to conform to that Scripture verse is to rely totally on the power of the Holy Spirit within us.  God has shown us His principles, but His Word is more than mere regulation, it is living and active and through the Word, we can experience the power to live that life that is described. Through Christ, we have the capacity for good, we can be merciful, we can life a Spirit-filled, guilt-free, no-excuses life.

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In Psalm 37, we can read some admonitions regarding the way we live, seeking to walk in a manner
consistent with who we say we are in the Lord:
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.

There's a particular NFL quarterback who has embraced the platform that he has in order to make an impact on the world.  He has started a foundation called the Why Not You Foundation, and in a recent interview with Maria Shriver on her website, Seahawks QB Russell Wilson said:

“It’s a lack of love, there’s so much hate in the world, there’s so much back and forth. … For me, it always comes back to the Biblical aspect: Corinthians 1:13 [sic] talks about, faith, hope and love. And the greatest of all is love. If we don’t have love, we have nothing. God put us on this earth to serve, give back and to love one another. If we could just focus on that aspect and just, how can I love you better? How can I treat you better? How can I be more polite? How can I be there for you in your time of need? And stop focusing on ourselves so much...” 

The article says that Wilson admits that "it’s advice he takes for himself too to make sure he doesn’t get too focused on himself, revealing he lives by a mantra: Surrender and surround."

He is also quoted as saying, “So many times we think about the big picture, but we miss the one individual. If we can change one kid at a time, one heart at a time, one soul, one adult at a time, as a result of that, it ends up being a snowball effect.”

Say what you will about Russell Wilson, and I have to admit that I have not necessarily been a fan of some of his choices, but the phrase, "why not you?" is rather captivating and challenging for believers in Christ.

The Foundation website says this:

As a child, Russell’s father challenged him to approach life with a “why not you” attitude. Through the Why Not You Foundation, Russell intends to share that attitude by encouraging and challenging today’s youth to embrace opportunities, overcome obstacles and make a positive impact throughout their lives.

In addition to financially supporting organizations aligned with the foundation’s mission, Russell works to extend the foundation’s impact by making visits to Seattle Children’s, advocating for pediatric cancer through Strong against Cancer, working with the National Domestic Violence Hotline to Pass the Peace, as well as many others.

The quarterback is also an entrepreneur, launching the Good Man Brand, which partners with the foundation. The Huffington Post reports that the brand "is promising that $3 from every purchase will go to charity — and he’s committing now to assisting inner-city education, a cause personally selected by Wilson and his team for the tangible, immediate impact it can have on inner-city children all over the nation."

I want to bring one principle over to each of us as believers in Christ, and what caught my attention about this story - the words, Why. Not. You.

Why not you?  There may be a legitimate call of God upon us to do something, to make an attempt to impact the world for Christ.  And, in our humanity, we could come up with excuses and actually rationalize why we can't do it.  But, perhaps our Maker is saying that we CAN.

Why. Not. You.  There are needs all around us, people who need to experience the presence of a Savior, and if we have become sensitized to what is going on around us, then perhaps the Holy Spirit is showing us that we are the person to do something about it.  We don't necessarily have to look to the church or an organized ministry when the Lord has equipped us and is directing us to act. Definitely, you can assemble teammates to share your vision and do ministry, but perhaps you are being the designated spark to kindle the flame.

Yesterday, I talked with Rhonda Stoppe, who has committed herself to being known as a No Regrets Woman.  Think about those words, "No Regrets."  If we truly live life with a perspective of responding to our challenges and having no excuses, we will be able to look back on our lives without regret.   Obedience produces satisfaction and yields fruit for the Kingdom of God.