“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me — the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” — Acts 20:24
Honeybees fly from place to place to find food. They collect nectar in the heart of flowers. As soon as they pollinate flowering plants, they rush back to their hive. Their excellent memory guides them in a straight line directly home — a beeline. When they return to their family, they communicate to the other bees about the location and distance of the food source by doing a “waggle dance” in a figure eight pattern. Therefore, other bees travel with no wasted motion and without wandering.
In a world full of distractions, insects remind us to do a few things well. The Lord wants us to tune out unnecessary things and make time for meaningful, eternal tasks like Jesus did. “‘My food,’ said Jesus, ‘is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work'” (John 4:34). As Paul explained, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners — of whom I am the worst” (1 Timothy 1:15).
So the apostles focused on doing a few things well and tried to avoid arguments about less important matters. “[We] will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4). In the depths of their being, the early Christians understood their calling to deliver the Gospel to everyone. “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).
Paul and his coworkers taught the Scriptures to help people understand the path to Heaven and to give peace of mind in the meantime. They dedicated their lives to one main purpose and sacrificed to fulfill their mission. “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me — the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24).
— Bill Kent, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, Sylvania, Georgia
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