NO AGENDA...

"Hi John...  So, what's your agenda?"

"I don't have an agenda."

"John, you always have an agenda."

He was right!  The young Navy flight student I was meeting with for discipleship nailed me! Thankful to God for someone half my age willing to call me out on that. And this was okay, because he wanted to grow in His walk with God, and that's why we were meeting regularly.

That was years ago in Pensacola, Florida, where we were ministering to the Navy community there.  Since then I have had to acknowledge that I do have an agenda, in everything I do. 

The question I now ask myself is, "God, what's Your agenda, for me?"

For me the answer is found in Deuteronomy 6:5, my life goal, "to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." (NASB)  As a young believer I committed myself to this goal, and try to keep it at the forefront of my thinking and activities daily.

My life goal leads back to my relationship with my young friend, and another question:  "What should be my agenda for others?"  Having recently engaged in dialogue about connecting with people in our community and hearing what others are doing to make relational connections, I am uncomfortable with some of the things I have heard. Their approach lacks authenticity and borders on manipulation.

I think this second question needs to be re-phrased. It must not be my agenda, but God's. I have always wanted my plans to be His plans, yet sometimes my bright ideas have gotten in the way.

Jesus told us how we should engage with others - the second greatest commandment, He said, "The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’" (Matthew 22:39 NASB)

What does that look like?  On the one hand, people do need to learn of the good news of Jesus, and yet Jesus wants me simply to love them for who they are, without requiring them to do what I want them to do.  No agenda.  Even if they never respond to the gospel, I still want to love the people God has brought across my path.