“Crisis in the Gulf”

"Boudreaux suddenly quit drinking, took a bath, quit chasing women, quit his poker games and stopped laying around. He started cutting the grass around the church, even painted it and was faithful to be the first to attend on Sundays! Father Thibodeaux asked him what about dis wonderful change that had overtook him. Boudreaux explained, "I heard 'Crisis in the Gulf' and if He’s dat close, I wanna be good to go!"

It seems that Old Boudreaux was padding his good works resume and had obviously had forgotten Paul’s words in the second chapter of Ephesians; “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it” (New Living Translation).

Salvation isn’t a solo act. As Christians we are called to help, extend kindness, to love everyone, and serve others. Being in service to others comes because of the transforming love of Christ. It is important to remember that while grace has personal benefits, it also comes with the responsibility to edify God and to extend His kingdom here on earth.

Accepting God’s gift of grace is the unwrapping of faith. Faith, once unwrapped, is to be shared. Faith sharing isn’t about building a heavenly resume; it is about revealing the love of Christ. Faith sharing isn’t about being “good to go” it is about doing good so that others will be “good to go.”

If Boudreaux had been working purposefully for Christ and not only working to make sure that he was “good to go,” perhaps Marie would have had something else to add to his obituary.

"Mrs. Boudreaux went to the local newspaper and said she wanted to put in the obituary column that Boudreaux had died. They told her it would be $1.00 per word. She said, "Here's $2.00 - put in dere dat BOUDREAUX DIED. They said, "Mrs. Boudreaux, surely you want more dan dat." She said, 'Mais, no, ust Boudreaux died." The editor said, "Well, you're a little upset. Bring yourself back tomorrow and you will probably tink of somethin else." She came back the next day, and said, "Yeh, I taught of somethin else ---
BOAT FOR SALE."

Copyright © 2010 Judith Bell