I am sure that all my kids have not-so-pleasant memories of me coming into their presence and saying my line, “What are you doing????”
For example, there were those times when we were doing math and they needed help with good old problem #7. On a regular basis, somebody would come to the door or call me on the phone and divert my attention. When I would come back 10 minutes later, I would be aggravated by the fact that they were just sitting there, waiting for help on #7. I would then say my line, “What are you doing???” and follow it up with, “why didn’t you work on the other problems while you were waiting? Don’t just sit there!!!”
Those were the good old days when we had all 5 kids at home doing homeschool. Another regular occurrence in those days was when I would be in another room with 2 or 3 kids and come back to the kitchen to find the other 3 or 2 goofing around. Out would come my line, “What are you doing???” followed up with, “Get back to work!!!”
Oftentimes my kids had chores to do, like cleaning the chicken pens. This was a job that should have only taken 15 minutes for 2 highly efficient Palus kids to accomplish. They shouldn’t have been surprised, after an hour at their task, when dad would come back and say his line, “What are you doing???”
If there was ever a dull moment around the house and dad happened to come in, the kids knew how to find something to do in a hurry. They dreaded my line almost as much as having dad think up another chore for them to do.
Christian, God loves us very much, even more than I love my kids. And before Jesus left for heaven, He left us with a very big job to do, something more important than schoolwork or cleaning chicken pens. He said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.” Now I am not certain when Jesus is coming back, but He is coming back. We are getting closer and closer to that day of His return. And when Jesus comes back, I have a hunch that He might say something like this, “What are you doing???”
Now, 4 of our kids are grown up and out of the house. They are no longer doing school or chores for dad. Ironically, that line that was meant for reprimand and discipline years ago is now a delightful part of our phone call conversations. I enjoy listening to them answer my line, “What are you doing?” and tell me of the good things that they are doing.
Christian, what are you doing? Are you in need of reprimand and discipline because you are distracted and goofing around instead of obeying God? Or are you faithfully using all of your gifts, skills, relationships, and finances to accomplish Jesus’ Great Commission? What are you doing?
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19