Showing Up
Chris Adsit, Associate National Director of Discipleship, Military Ministry

Cal Ripken Jr. showed up. From May 30, 1982 to September 6, 1995, Cal Ripken Jr. got up, put on his clothes and went to work every single day his employer asked him to. He didn't think it was that big a deal--after all, he got paid for it. He was only doing his job.

But when he showed up that 2,131st time, breaking Lou Gehrig's "unbreakable" consecutive-games-played record, the world demonstrated how much they valued Cal Ripken Jr.'s dependability. 46,272 fans, his teammates, four umpires and the entire opposing team got to their feet and began clapping. They didn't quit for twenty-two minutes. This group included the President and Vice President of the United States. The House and Senate chartered a special train to take them up to witness this monumental event. Baltimore threw him a parade. So did Aberdeen, his home town, although he didn't attend that one--he felt obligated to get back to work. Ripken showed up, and the country stopped for a few days to admire him for it.

Ripken has lots of ability: 13-time All-Star; has hit more home runs than any other short stop; has set nearly a dozen fielding records. But even if he hadn't been so excellent, I doubt that the world would have pulled out any fewer stops when they honored him last September. Among all the records he has set, this one--the one linked to consistency--stands as a monolithic accomplishment that dwarfs all the rest.

Some day, there is a very real possibility that you and I might be so honored--not by fans and peers, but by God, angels and a great cloud of witnesses. And the honor will come not by virtue of any great abilities we may have, but because of a trait that is accessible to all and of great value in God's eyes: availability.

As leaders and disciplemakers, we are interested in making an impact for the kingdom of God on this planet. So naturally, we'll do all we can to hone our ministering abilities to a fine edge. Nothing wrong with developing a spirit of excellence. But we must never forget that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 tells us that when it comes to picking a team, God chose the foolish to put the wise to shame, and what the world calls weak to put the strong to shame. Why did He choose the lowly? "So that no mortal man should have pretense for glorying and boast in the presence of God."

It's faithfulness, dependability and availability that impress God! He's not scouring the earth in search of a bunch of high-powered, flashy, highly-educated whiz-kids who can cook up and execute their big ideas. He's looking for faithful, available servants who will show up every day looking to carry out His big ideas!

Think about some of the great men and women of the Bible--how little they had going for them and yet how significantly God used them.

• Abraham: Idolater; liar; did nothing of significance until he was in his 80's; became the father of the Jews and ancestor of the Christ.
• Joseph: Papa's pet; hated by his brothers; kidnap victim; sold into slavery; falsely accused of rape; wrongly imprisoned; became the Prime Minister of Egypt and saved the embryonic nation of Israel.
• Moses: Murderer; sheepherder in exile for half his life; a man of great reluctance and little faith; became God's ambassador and the one He spoke to face-to-face.
• Ruth: A Moabite in exile; widowed; childless; destitute; married Boaz and became the great-grandmother of David.
• David: Sheepherder; youngest child in an insignificant family; adulterer; murderer; became King and led Israel to the pinnacle of world power.
• Esther: Orphan; a minority exile in a hostile country; became Queen and kept Israel from annihilation.
• Jesus: Carpenter's son from a backwater town in Galilee; King of kings and Lord of lords.

God doesn't need men and women of great ability; He needs people with availability, people who are willing to do what He wants them to do, say what He wants them to say, go where He wants them to go and be what He wants them to be. He doesn't care what your background is, what challenges you are facing, what handicaps you have. The main thing He wants is for you to show up! Show up with your five loaves and two fishes, and then stand back!