Maintaining His Intent

Years ago while working at a do-it-yourself warehouse my manager summarized his expectations of me and it went like this: ‘in everything you do here in this business you should always maintain my intent.’

What he meant was this. He was the manager and I was a supervisor on his payroll. It was important that I understood what his goals and expectations were for the company and even when he wasn’t in the building, I was to be maintaining his expectations.

Have you ever heard the phrase, ‘when the cats away the mice will play?’ All too often in business the second the manager or the head honcho steps out of sight everything runs differently, and not always better.

Jesus faced this same issue when he explained to His disciples that He would only be with them a little while longer but He left them with clear expectations.

My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:33-35 NIV)

As Christians we all too often become complacent and don’t always maintain His intent, yet this is our responsibility! Just because Jesus isn’t physically sitting at your lunch table or in your office, does not mean that we should slack on our responsibility! We were commissioned to love one another just as He loved us, and this my friends, is how people will know we are His disciples!

Regardless of what we have been called to do! Regardless of our job or our education, we must maintain His intent! If we are going to be so bold to wear the title of Christian, then we must be bold enough to love! We must know Him well enough to know His expectations! We must know what His Word says and follow it accordingly! —Jounda LaMance

Lord so often we fail to maintain your intent! We have done a lot of talking and preaching and failed somewhat in the doing! Lord, you made it very clear what you expect from us, help us to know you in such a way that we do not have to second-guess what you expect! Help us Lord to love one another – just as you loved us!