“What if . . . our litmus test for worship was a heart that breaks for the things that break the heart of God? What if we saw compassion as a form of worship? Worship without words. Worship beyond words?”- Mark Batterson
“It’s more noble to give yourself completely to one individual than to labor diligently for the salvation of the masses.”- Dag Hammarskjöld
Mark Batterson concludes Chapter 3 of Primal as he talks about the rare kind of joy that emanates as a by-product of compassion. That kind of joy, Pastor Batterson adds:
- floods you heart when you’ve given to someone something that’s made a difference in his/her life
- you only experience on the giving end of life
Yet, Mark observes, when it comes to getting things, it seems like enough is never enough. But, the same is true of giving. Thus, we must not buy into the subconscious lie that we can accumulate enough. For we’ll never have, be, or do enough. However, we can’t allow that to keep us from giving what we have. Or being who we are or doing what we can.
Most noteworthy, it’s enough to make a difference in the life of one person. The Jewish commentary on the Old Testament, the Talmud, puts it this way:
“Whoever destroys one life, it is as though he has destroyed a whole world; and whoever saves one life, it is as though he has saved a whole world.”
In conclusion, Pastor Batterson encourages you not to let what you cannot do keep you from doing what you can. Because your effort isn’t a drop in the bucket. Rather, it creates a ripple effect that perhaps changes the course of history. Most certainly, it changes your heart.
Today’s question: What do you consider your litmus test for worship? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “A soul that hallows God”
