MR 'MAKE IT HAPPEN'
YOU KNOW, AS YOU GO ON THROUGH THIS JOURNEY OF THE PILGRIM'S LAND, YOU MEET SOME PEOPLE WHO REALLY KNOW WHAT ALLS GOING ON. LIKE THE 'BROTHER' I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE OTHER DAY, WHO REALLY IMPRESSED ME WITH HIS ZEAL FOR THE LORD. WE WERE OUT AND ABOUT THE TOWN DURING THE DAY, AND HE STARTED TO SAY...
"LET'S DO SOMETHING!... EVEN IF IT'S WRONG!" 'HUH? WHAT DO YOU MEAN?' "YOU KNOW! LET'S GET SOMETHING DONE FOR GOD! WE'VE GOT TO START 'MAKING THINGS HAPPEN', OR WE'RE GOING TO GET LEFT BEHIND IN OUR CHRISTIAN SERVICE!" 'YEA, OK. YOU'RE RIGHT, OF COURSE. BUT WHAT IF WE DO SOMETHING, AND IT'S WRONG? YOU KNOW, DO WRONG TO SOMEBODY?' "THAT'S SOME-ONE, NOT SOME-BODY. JUST LIKE 'PASTOR' TEACHES...BUT WHAT DO YOU MEAN WRONG? HEY, IF IT WORKS FOR GOD, IT'S RIGHT, RIGHT?" 'UH, YEA.' "SO, LET'S BE ABOUT THE FATHER'S BUSINESS AND GET ON WITH IT AND 'MAKE IT HAPPEN', ALREADY!" 'SURE, OF COURSE, BUT I'M NEW AT THIS, AND SO WHAT IS 'IT' THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO 'MAKE HAPPEN'?' "HUH?" 'WHAT IS 'IT' THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO 'MAKE HAPPEN'?' "WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY 'IT'? 'IT' SILLY IS GET SOMEONE OUT TO CHURCH, OF COURSE! THAT'S WHAT 'IT' IS ALL ABOUT, AND 'IT' IS UP TO YOU AND I TO 'MAKE IT HAPPEN'!" 'OK,BUT WHAT IF THE 'IT' THAT WE 'MAKE HAPPEN' TURNS OUT TO BE A REAL MESS? WHAT THEN?' "WHAT THEN?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'WHAT THEN'?! WHAT DOES THAT MATTER? AT LEAST WE TRIED TO MAKE 'SOMETHING' HAPPEN! THAT'S BETTER THAN NOT TO HAVE TRIED AT ALL, RIGHT?" 'WELL, YES, OF COURSE. BUT THESE ARE PEOPLE WE'RE DEALING WITH. JESUS DIED FOR THEM JUST AS MUCH AS HE DIED FOR US.' "HUH?" 'JESUS DIED FOR THEM JUST AS MUCH AS HE DIED FOR US.' "WELL, OF COURSE HE DID! THAT'S WHY WE'VE GOT TO 'MAKE IT HAPPEN' FOR SOMEONE ELSE AS IT WAS MADE TO HAPPEN FOR US, SILLY! GOD'S LOOKING FOR US TO 'MAKE IT HAPPEN' FOR SOMEONE ELSE, JUST LIKE HE LOOKED FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO 'MAKE IT HAPPEN' FOR US! IT'S CALLED LOVE. AND IF WE LOVE OTHERS, AS GOD LOVED US, THEN WE'LL 'MAKE IT HAPPEN' FOR THEM IN THEIR LIVES TOO!" 'BUT WHAT IF THEY DON'T WANT US 'MAKING IT HAPPEN' FOR THEM?' "NOT WANT US TO? WHO WOULDN'T WANT US TO BUT A DEVIL, AND WHAT DO DEVILS MATTER? AND BESIDES, THEN IT WILL BE THEIR OWN FAULT FOR NOT SEEING THAT WE'RE DOING GOOD FOR THEM DESPITE THEMSELVES, AND BESIDES, WE SHOULDN'T BE TAKING 'NO' FOR AN ANSWER, ANYWAY! NOT WHEN IT COMES TO 'MAKING SOMETHING HAPPEN' FOR GOD AND OUR CHURCH PROGRAM, RIGHT?" 'YEA, RIGHT. BUT WHAT IF IN OUR EFFORTS TO 'MAKE IT HAPPEN' FOR THEM, THEY END UP GETTING HURT AND PUSHED EVEN FURTHER AWAY FROM THE DESIRE FOR CHURCH, GOD, SALVATION, OR ANYTHING? YOU KNOW, LIKE PAUL SAID, GOD IS BLASPHEMED BECAUSE OF US.' "WHAT?! WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? YOU THINK WE'RE SOME KIND OF CULT OR SOMETHING?!" 'NO, NO, OF COURSE NOT, BUT I'M JUST NOT SURE ABOUT ALL THIS 'MAKING IT HAPPEN' STUFF FOR GOD AND ALL. I MEAN, INVITING PEOPLE TO CHURCH IS FINE, AND WANTING THEM TO COME BACK, BUT ARE WE REALLY SUPPOSED TO 'MAKE' THEM? SHOULDN'T IT BE A VOLUNTARY THING? LIKE WITH US?' "VOLUNTARY? OF COURSE, IT'S VOLUNTARY, BUT WE'VE GOT TO 'MAKE' IT VOLUNTARY FOR THEM, FOR THEIR OWN GOOD! AFTER ALL, WE KNOW BETTER THAN THEM, BECAUSE WE'RE SAVED, AND THEY'RE NOT, AND IF WE HAVE TO 'MAKE IT HAPPEN' WITH THEM OVER THEIR OWN FOOLSIH WILLS, THEN SO BE IT! AFTER ALL, WE'RE THE SUM-TOTAL OF ALL THE DECISIONS WE MAKE, AND WE CAN MAKE SOMEONE ELSE'S DECISION FOR THEM FOR THE GOOD, THEN THAT'S GOOD! AND IF WE CAN'T 'MAKE IT HAPPEN' FOR THEM AND THEY GET ALL UPSET ABOUT IT, THEN IT'S JUST THEIR OWN STUPID FAULT FOR ENDING UP IN THE WRONG DIRECTION IN LIFE FOR MAKING THE WRONG DECISIONS THAT WE TRIED TO MAKE HAPPEN FOR THEM! YOU SEE?" 'UH, YEA, I THINK SO...' "AFTER ALL, IT'S THE 'PASTOR' WHO TOLD US ABOUT GETTING OUT THERE AND 'MAKING IT HAPPEN' FOR GOD, AND FOR OURSELVES TOO, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO GET OUT THERE AND GET THE CHURCH BUILT, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T BUILD THE CHURCH, WHO WILL? RIGHT?" 'YES, HE DID SAY THAT.' "AND SO, STOP WORRYING ABOUT ALL THAT OTHER STUFF, AND LET'S JUST DO OUR DUTY, SO THAT WE DON'T DIE AND GO TO HELL OURSELVES FOR NOT WORKING ENOUGH FOR GOD AND FULFILL OUR RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CHURCH AND THE MINISTRY TO GET OUT THERE AND 'MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN' OURSELVES. BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, THEN WE'LL GET A BAD LOOK FROM THE PASTOR AND GOD! AND THERE AIN'T NO WAY I'M GOING TO LET THAT HAPPEN TO ME, SO I'M GOING TO GET OUT THERE AND 'MAKE IT HAPPEN' FOR ME WITH SOMEONE ELSE, AND YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT, BUT YOU DON'T WANT THE 'PASTOR' TO DISAPROVE OF YOU, RIGHT? NOT TO MENTION, GOD." 'WELL, NO, OF COURSE NOT. I GUESS I WAS JUST THINKING TOO MUCH. YOU KNOW, THAT STINKIN' THINKIN' AND QUESTIONING WHAT THE 'MAN OF GOD' HAS TO SAY ABOUT THINGS, BECAUSE I SURE WASN'T TRYING TO DO THAT!' "OH, I KNOW THAT. BUT WE DO HAVE TO GUARD OUR HEARTS, LEST THE DEVIL CREEPS UP ON US AND GETS US TO THINKING CRAZY THOUGHTS, LIKE SOULWINNING ISN'T OUR MAIN DUTY IN LIFE, OR SOMETHING ELSE AS OBVIOUSLY DUMB AS THAT. HEY! LOOK THERE! THERE GOES SOMEONE NOW! LET'S GO GET 'EM FOR JESUS AND GET 'EM INTO CHURCH FOR THEIR OWN GOOD, AND SHOW THE 'PASTOR' THAT WE'RE LOYAL TEAM MEMBERS OF HIS CHURCH PROGRAM AND REALLY 'MAKE IT HAPPEN' FOR GOD, EVEN IF IT'S WRONG!" 'RIGHT!'
AND SO WE RAN OFF TOGETHER HAPPILY RESOLVED ONCE AGAIN IN OUR OWN MINDS TO DO RIGHT AND TO STOP THINKING NEGATIVELY ABOUT THINGS AND JUST DO WHAT WE'RE TAUGHT AND TOLD, SO WE TOO COULD REALLY 'MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN' FOR GOD AND OURSELVES IN LIFE TOO...BUT IT KEPT NAGGING AT ME. HOW CAN WE DO WRONG, AND RIGHT? BUT ANYWAY, WE HAD TO GO AND 'MAKE IT HAPPEN' QUICK, BECAUSE THE 'PASTOR' WAS WAITING ON US FOR OUR REPORTS....

MR 'PUSH THE CHURCH'
AND SO, AS I CONTINUED ON MY JOURNEY, OR I SHOULD SAY, 'AS I TRAVEL THROUGH THIS PILGRIM'S LAND, THERE IS A FRIEND WHO WALKS WITH MEEEE...' THE PASTOR OF THE CHURCH AND I WERE GOING TO MEET WITH THE 'MAN' AT A LOCAL RESTURANT (A NICE ONE TOO), AND HE WAS GOING TO BUY US DINNER AND ALLOW US TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH HIM, BECAUSE WE HAD A REALLY GOOD TURN OUT AT THE CHURCH SERVICE LAST SUNDAY MORNING. YOU SEE, THE 'MAN' HAD BEEN SWEATING OVER IT FOR A LONG TIME NOW WITH THE LAST PREACHER HE GOT RID OF, WHO COULDN'T 'MAKE IT HAPPEN' HIMSELF, NOT QUICK ENOUGH OR LONG ENOUGH, ANYWAY. AND SO, I DID OF COURSE EXPECT SOME PREACHER BUSINESS TO BE CONDUCTED DURING DINNER, BECAUSE 'HE' DOES NOTHING JUST FOR FELLOWSHIP OR FRIENDSHIP. YOU SEE, ONCE A MAN, LIKE THIS 'MAN', BECOMES SO IMPORTANT FOR GOD AND HIS KINGDOM BUILDING THEN NOTHING IS NORMAL, BUT IT'S ALL ABOUT THE 'BUSINESS' AT HAND. YOU SEE, LIFE ITSELF BECOMES A 'BUSINESS',AND SO THE CHURCH TOO BECOMES A BUSINESS, AND SO THIS WAS REALLY GOING TO BE A 'BUSINESS' DINNER. AND SURE ENOUGH, AFTER THE HELLO'S AND ORDERS FOR THE FOOD WERE MADE, THE 'MAN' BEGAN TO SPEAK TO THE PREACHER WITH ME.
"OK,BROTHER, YOU DID A GOOD JOB LAST WEEK. I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT. GOOD JOB. BUT NOW YOU'VE GOT TO 'PUSH IT' EVEN HARDER THAN LAST WEEK. DON'T LET UP NOW, BUT 'PUSH IT' AGAIN." 'YESSIR' "GOOD, GOOD. WHAT IT TOOK TO GET YOU HERE WILL ALSO TAKE TO GET YOU THERE." 'YESSIR' "AND WE GOT A GOOD CROWD IN LAST WEEK, BUT THAT WAS LAST WEEK. NOW YOU'VE GOT TO 'PUSH IT' FOR NEXT WEEK. SO, THE PEOPLE YOU GOT TO COME TO YOUR CHURCH LAST WEEK, YOU'VE GOT TO GET BACK TO YOUR CHURCH THIS WEEK, AND GET THEM TO GET OTHERS TO COME TO YOUR CHURCH; OTHERWISE, THE NUMBERS WILL GO DOWN IN YOUR CHURCH, AND THAT'S BAD 'BUSINESS'." 'NO SIR' "RIGHT, BUT WE WANT TO BUILD THE CHURCH HIGHER AND HIGHER AND DO GOD SERVICE MORE AND MORE, SO YOU'VE GOT TO 'PUSH' THE PROGRAM HARDER AND HARDER AND GET THOSE PEOPLE TO GET MORE PEOPLE OUT NEXT WEEK." 'YESSIR' "SO, I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOU BROTHERS, AND I'M HAPPY WITH WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING SO FAR, BUT DON'T SLACK OFF NOW, RIGHT?" 'RIGHT SIR' "GOOD, GOOD. WELL, WE'VE GOT TO GO NOW AND GET ON BACK HOME, SO YOU BROTHERS HAVE A GOOD WEEK, AND WE'LL SEE YOU LATER. DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT BILL, I'VE GOT IT FOR YOU." 'THANK YOU, SIR' "AND JUST REMEMBER ONE THING, BROTHER." 'YESSIR?' "DON'T FORGET TO 'PUSH IT'!" 'YESSIR!' "GOOD. GOOD. C'MON DEAR, LET'S GO..." 'YES DEAR...'
AND SO, WE MADE OUR WAY OUT THE RESTURANT DOOR INTO THE PARKING LOT, AND I SLIPPED AWAY TO LET THE 'MAN' KNOW THAT I WAS LOOKING AFTER THE HEALTH OF HIS CURRENT FAVORITE PREACHER... "THANKS BROTHER, THAT'S GOOD 'BUSINESS'." 'YESSIR...'