We can make an impact or excuses, but we cannot make both. If we want our lives to make a difference, we don’t have the time to make excuses. Nowhere in Scripture do we ever see Jesus make an excuse. He was never too tired, too hungry, too busy, too young, or too old. He didn’t worry about His social status or what others thought of Him.
And He never put off what He knew He had to do. As Jesus hung on the cross, he said, “It is finished.” He completed His mission. The lesson is powerful: when you refuse to make excuses, your impact increases exponentially.
Whether we make an impact or excuses is largely a reflection of our devotion to Jesus. When He is our focus and the meaning of everything we do, we will make fewer excuses because our purpose will be clear and invigorating. If our commitment is more on the lukewarm side of things, excuses will come easier because we aren’t all in. Other things in our lives will divide and seduce our attention. One way to measure the strength of your spiritual walk is by examining how many excuses you are making in living out the mission to which God has called you.
True disciples of Jesus desire to impact the world for Christ. We are not content to let others do the heavy lifting. We want to be in the game, not on the sidelines. Excuses always relegate us to the sideline. Impact only happens when we put ourselves in the middle of the action.
Our excuses typically stem from us being too lazy, unwilling, or afraid to make an impact. When we are too lazy, we fail to understand the urgency of our calling. People are dying and going to hell every day. We have the solution to end this tragedy. There is no time to wait; if you didn’t know Christ, wouldn’t you want someone to tell you about Him before it is too late? If we make excuses because we’re unwilling to make an impact, then we must question whether we know Jesus. When you’re afraid to make an impact, ask God to give you strength. His love will cast aside all your fears (1 John 4:18). You can do anything with Him beside You (Philippians 4:13), and He is always beside you. He will never abandon you (Deuteronomy 31:6).
Do you want to make an impact or excuses? Is Jesus worth everything to you, or nothing at all? If Jesus is our Lord, we must start acting like it. The time is too short to be lazy; the mission too great to ignore. Jesus is with us and helping us every second of our lives. All His power, all His courage, and all His love are available to us whenever we ask. It’s time to get off the sidelines and into the game. Everyone makes excuses. Only disciples make an impact.