Thursday, December 18, 2008

Beggars Can't Be Choosers

It is a wonderful thing to express passion and be excited about dance ministry. If we are honest, there are times that we may wonder why someone has not invited us to dance or minister at a certain engagement. Initially, this may not based on arrogance, but a genuine desire to serve in the ministry of dance. Many new dance ministries trying to break into the scene will ask to dance to gain other platforms. The problem arises when there is a pattern of asking many people to "invite us" to be a part of something, when the Lord may not have chosen us for that particular occasion.

A great character-building exercise takes place when we have to wait on the Lord to open doors for us. As long as we make efforts to train in the areas of dance and ministry and are bearing fruit, the invitations will come. If we are truly flourishing in movement ministry, there will come a time when we may have to turn down invitations for wisdom's sake. This puts us in a position where we can choose to go through the doors opened by the Lord. If we have to repetitively ask someone to allow us to dance, we are essentially begging. It is better to be invited...

When the Lord extends an invitation, the setting is richly prepared and we are gracefully received by Him. If we demand an invite, we can make the host or organizers uncomfortable. Even if we get a "yes," we may never be invited again, or even worse, may be talked about due to our imposing behavior. Let us be faithful over the areas that the Lord has given us. If we are found prepared and ready when the bridegroom arrives, we will not have the doors shut in our faces.

Psalm 37:25 (NKJV)
I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.

Proverbs 20:4 (NKJV)
The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing.

Luke 16:19-21 (NKJV)
“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

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