Welcome back to all of our listeners! I’m BJ Sipe, and you’re listening to the Set Your Mind Above podcast – where everyday ordinary events teach us extraordinary eternal truths. I’m so glad that you’ve tuned in today, I am excited to share my life and my faith with you, and I sure hope that you’ll do the same with me along the way.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! I really do get behind that message and this whole holiday season. Personally, I am a Christmas nut, and I think I am more excited that today is Christmas Eve “Eve” even more than the kids are. I love it all. The carols. The trees. The decorations. The snow. The traditions. I especially love the old movies. So far I’ve worked through, “It’s A wonderful life” & “White Christmas”, and Miracle on 34th street should be next on my list! However, there is one thing that I really do not love about the holiday season that sometimes comes out in many people & businesses – and that is the rampant greed & materialism. Of course, they also call this the “season of giving”, which at it’s core is a wonderful sentiment. The concept of gift giving to others out of love is a wonderful Christian ethic that need not be tied to a holiday or special occasion. However, the other side of that coin is the opportunity that many corporations or businesses see to exploit the good nature of others. All in the name of the almighty dollar, employees for different organizations are absolutely slammed and required to give up so much in order to keep the doors open. They work overtime hours, short breaks, and time off is not allowed during the Holiday season. The materialism starts early, as “Black Friday” has turned from a day into full month-long specials and events to try and get more people in their doors to spend more money. Also, rather than encouraging their employees to be home with their families, if they want to keep their jobs they are required to come into work on Christmas Eve or even Christmas day in many establishments. Now don’t get me wrong, some things cannot shut down for even one day. Public servants such as firefighters, police officers, paramedics, doctors & nurses cannot just take the day off – so some are always going to be asked to make that sacrifice. That is understandable, and such individuals should be praised for the sacrifices they and their families make for others. But what really grinds my gears is when places that really don’t need to be open demand that their employees come in for work on Christmas Eve & Christmas Day. Boutiques, coffee shops, restaurants, hair salons, and places like this that do not need to stay open often do at the expense of their employees & their families. Well, my heart was warmed today and I so proud to be a member of this Danville community when I saw the announcements from our local coffeeshops that I frequent here in the Downtown Area. Dry Stack, where I currently am sitting and writing this podcast, announced on social media that they would be closed Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (for which they are always closed on Sundays) so that their staff can be home with their families. I made sure to thank Aaron, the owner, for setting the bar for our community and reminding people of what our most important priorities should be: our family. In talking with the Baristas, they shared with me that this is always his character: he always ensures that his employees are taken care of first. In his words they shared with me, “You cannot care for your community if you don’t first care for those in house who are serving your community.” I loved that. Not long after this, the Hub Coffee House downtown also posted on social media saying they would also be closed Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to celebrate the Christmas holiday as well. It just made my heart swell to see these establishments with their priorities in the right place. If you want to better serve your community, you have to be sure to first serve those among your own.
As I sat here contemplating my conversations with the baristas here, I started to realize that this principle is exactly what the church has been edified to do as well. As we look at churches, there is a great amount of emphasis that has been placed on serving our communities, and there very well should be. We are called to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. However, if we want to be better equipped to serve our communities, we have to ensure that we first take care of those who are serving our communities: our church family. Consider the words of Paul to the Galatians in chapter 6:10, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.” The church is called to do good to all people, as we just discussed. But look at where Paul places the emphasis and the priority, he says that we must especially do so first to the household of faith. I have seen many churches boast of the great efforts they have made to serve the community around them, and yet ignore the many great needs of those who are among their very own! As I state all of the time, the church is not like a family, the church is a family. Which if you, with our own families, would give all that you have to feed the poor, but at the expense of your children who would then go hungry? Of course not! Do we not first care for our own, and then teach our family how to in turn care for others? So why do we do this as churches? Why do we neglect the widow or the orphan among our own number, but care for them everywhere else? If the church is to be properly equipped to care for the needs of those outside of Christ, we must first care for the needs of those inside of Christ. In addition, I believe there is another application to this principle, and that is looking at this from an individual perspective. Consider what Paul says to the Philippians in chapter 2:3-4, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Make no mistake, when it comes to priority Paul makes it clear that we are to place others above ourselves – that’s the very foundation of acting in love. However, you cannot care for others if you completely neglect yourself and your own needs. Notice Paul does not say “neglect your own interests, and only look to the interests of others.” You cannot pour more out of an empty glass. That means for us, if we want to be better equipped to serve others, we also have to take the time to care for ourselves. You cannot just keep pouring yourself out for others if you are empty. You should never feel guilty for taking care of yourself, especially your basic necessities. Everyone needs rest. Everyone needs a break. Everyone needs time for themselves. The point is this, not only do you have a right to say yes to yourself, you have a responsibility to do so. You cannot neglect your own needs day in and day out forever in order to serve the needs of others. To better serve others, you need to ensure you are caring for yourself. Churches, you cannot continue to neglect your own week in and week out in order to serve the needs of your community. To better serve others, you need to ensure that you are serving your own first. Don’t hear what I’m not saying: I’m not suggesting that when it comes to our priorities that we put ourselves above all others – that is not remotely close to the message I am intending to convey. What I am suggesting is that as we examine our priorities, make sure you we are not entirely neglecting to take care of ourselves and our own.
Thank you so much for listening to today’s episode. Tune in, Tuesday-Fridays, as a new podcast episode will be uploaded each day. Also, be sure to follow the Facebook page for the Set Your Mind Above podcast for future announcements and video sessions. As you have the opportunity, share these thoughts with your friends and family, and share with me what important lessons you are learning from every day, ordinary events. Until next time know that I love you, that God loves you, and may we all each and every day set our minds above.