Gratitude

I’m at Q in Austin and am being  stimulated to think differently and work creatively within the space and realm God has placed in my hands. Today I was propelled to gratitude.

Here’s three  definitions from Andy Crouch which are simple but potent.

Creative Power – The ability to successfully propose a new cultural good.

Hmmm.  Ok – hold that thought and go to the next one.
Rent – The excess income you can command for doing what you would do for less.

So let’s illustrate this using  the great basketball legend, Shaq. Assume that I discovered him at ages 13 and had the opportunity to negotiate his contract at that age. Here’s what we might find.  Shaq may say, “I think I’m going to be pretty good, so I’ll rebound and abuse post-players for the rest of my life for a $10,000 per game.”  Shaq’s creative power is his ability to lead a team to win basketball games, in spite of his inability to make free throws.

Though he was happy to just play the game and make $10,000 per game, today he’s actually making, let’s say, several hundred thousand per game.  Rent equals the difference between what he was happy to play for and what he’s actually earning. So, Shaq’s bringing down some pretty good “rent.”    Sweet for Shaq – he should be pretty happy.

Here’s the next definition.
Privilege – The continuing benefits of past successful exercises of power.

Shaq’s grandchildren and his family for generations to come, should have an extraordinarily privileged lifestyle.  They should experience every physical comfort that anyone could imagine.  Although Shaq may not have been a person of privilege, his ancestors will be.  They will automatically get some extraordinary benefits.  And Shaq himself, when seen walking into a public arena, will be treated with deference above and beyond others around him.  You can’t miss Shaq!  I’m not standing in his way?  He’s privileged.

Application – Ok so what’s this have to do with me? An awful lot! Those three definitions propell me to a mentality of Gratitude and Service.

God called me to ministry – I didn’t put a price tag on it. In fact, I’m pretty sure the contract between me and God was, “Come Follow Me.” I said, “Yes.”  As a young adult, I assumed that I would have a “real job” that would support my family and my love for ministry, which is, by the way, the norm.

Yet somehow a monetary price has been attached to my privilege of following Christ on this path of serving him.  I actually get paid to do ministry which I was willing to do for free. That’s just not comprehensible.

In sum, I get the privilege of exercising “creative power” for an extraordinarily exhorbitant “rent.“  Above and beyond that, I’m receiving unwaranted “privilege.”

Humbling!  I’m grateful.  Now what must I do with this privilege?!

How about you? What’s your rent?