Darrow Miller and Friends

One Life of Love: A Labor Day Reflection

The Great Commission calls every Christian to advance the gospel of the kingdom, in love. We are to see the people around us as humans made in the image of God. Are they sinful and fallen? Yes. And they are precious to Jesus Christ.

one life of love can change the worldEach of us is to see our life and work as the platform God has provided from which we proclaim and demonstrate truth, beauty and goodness, to those around us. Through the Christian, and especially through the church, others should be able to see the wonder and beauty of God’s intentions for people. Every Christian has a calling and every legitimate vocation is a platform for kingdom ministry and service.

This is one of the DNA messages, and I thought about when I read an article by my friend, Dr. Bert Downs, chancellor of Western Seminary. Bert was writing at Transformed Today, a blog ministry of Western Seminary. He writes, in part,

This past month, I lost (yes, I take it personally) one of my favorite influencers. He wasn’t in my life a long time, but he changed my view and my behavior on a few crucial things. …  Here are a few things that I caught from Russ . . .

  • It’s possible to thoroughly love your community … and thoroughly love the Lord at the same time. The vehicles through which Russ accomplished that were love, service and humility. Russ lived all his professional life in that town where he served as teacher, coach, principal and school district superintendent. He was a leader in his profession, a leader in his community and a leader in his church. He was much loved and respected in all of those arenas because love, service and humility marked his life and his relationships in all of those settings. And when he was disappointed by something no matter the source, he never responded with judgment, but always with the pain, empathy and consideration of someone who truly loves.
  • If you really want to, it’s possible to discover the potential in anyone and to bring it to the surface. I watched him do this many times through conversations and acts of kindness. People who needed to recalibrate their view of life always found a reliable compass in Russ’ hand. …

Go here to read the full article.

–          Gary Brumbelow

 

 

 

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Gary is the Disciple Nations Alliance editorial manager. He manages Darrow Miller and Friends and serves as editor and co-writer on various book projects. For eight years Gary served as a cross-cultural church planting missionary among First Nations people of Canada. His career also includes 14 years as executive director of InterAct Ministries, an Oregon-based church-planting organization in Canada, Alaska, and Siberia. Gary is a graduate of Grace University, earned an MA from Wheaton College and a Graduate Studies Diploma from Western Seminary. He lives near Portland, Oregon with his wife, Valerie. They have two married sons and twelve grandchildren. In addition to his work with the DNA, Gary serves as the pastor of Troutdale Community Church.
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