Do for (the) One
About 10 years ago I went to a Catalyst West conference at Mariners Church in Irvine, CA. I can’t quite recall if I went once, twice, or three times altogether, but it had its impact at the time. It’s where I first heard and saw All Sons and Daughters play, when they were on their way up. It was where Dallas Willard gave my wife and I a great proverb and demonstration of faith that we continue to recite to one another to this day (I’ll make that the subject of another post). And it was the first exposure I had to the likes of pastors Craig Groeschel and Andy Stanley. Catalyst certainly revolved around a mission for spreading the gospel, and these two pastors were close to its nucleus through accessible, motivational preaching and teaching.
This isn’t a post to assess where I have or have not observed those two as pastors since then, admittedly other than mentions in news, outside of those conferences I didn’t follow them in particular. Which probably serves to more easily highlight something Andy Stanley promoted one of those times we were hearing him speak, because I took it and kept it as a motivational instrument for some years afterward. It was such a good quote at the time, I am glad I didn’t muddle it with a bunch of other pithy encouragements.
He said, “Do for one what you wish you could do for many.”
It served as a great relief to bring the practical application of evangelism into plain pragmatism. Especially at a “hip” conference at a massive church, in a venue fit for motivating many people, it drew down that truth of the one in the 99 that the shepherd is willing to seek out to save.
As I’ve pondered the point in years since, I’ve recognized that I’ve taken that proverb of motivation and at times made it into a work. Escaping works-based righteousness is common for us all, to know that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone through scripture alone in Christ alone to glorify God alone is our true religion.
So lately I’ve developed a hybrid mentality to applying this wisdom that Andy Stanley offered. Yes, it remains certainly consistent with the latter part of the greatest commandment to “do for one what you wish you could do for many” as supporting “love your neighbor as yourself.” The lateral application of agape love should reach out to your brother and sister without expectation that it turns into anything more massive that encouraging them in the faith and meeting them in their needs.
But let’s not forget the prior art in the greatest commandment, that is as Jesus articulated in Matt. 22 to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Before we, through altruism, maneuver to do for that one here on earth, we should remember that it’s by His grace that we are able at all to do for that one here on earth.
So, in the fearful love of God the Father, with all our heart + mind + soul, made righteous by the blood of Christ Jesus, our faith becomes the response of obedience to the Lord through love so that we might do for many. He is our hope and strength to make disciples of all nations.