Do Your Job

Getting up for school in the mornings is a very difficult task in the Kinney household.  Nobody wants to get up.  The kids  want to stay in bed, I want to stay in bed and my wife, Haley, she definitely wants to stay in bed.  So from the time we all get up till we make the mad dash down our street to the school, the house is a toothpaste flying, clothes slinging, crying and yelling good time.
One particular morning, I go in to wake up the boys.  Sam, our second grader, is usually the easiest one to get up, but this morning, he was like a rock.  I am talking about the poke him and see if he moves type of still.  After seeing him stir just a little, I reached into my dad's bag-o-tricks to get him to rise and shine.  I shook him (not too hard so don't freak out).  I rolled him.  I kissed him (which he hates because I haven't brushed my teeth yet).  I even told him that a bunch of girls were coming and were going to see him in his underwear.  I threatened him and yelled at him but nothing seemed to work.  Then I used the scariest move of all.  The one only reserved for the ultimate last resort.  I told him, "If you don't get up, I am going to get your mother in here and she is going to whip your tail."  This made him roll over and say back to me without missing a beat, "You are going to send a woman in here to do your man job?"  After dragging him out of the bed and chasing him all the way to the shower, I began to think about the statement.  Why was I willing to pawn off my job as a parent when I was perfectly capable of doing it myself?
We all have been caught up in the trap of pawning off the job that God has called US to do.  He has given us a task and the ability to complete it but we often feel inadequate, afraid and indifferent to the calling in our lives.  This is nothing new to God.  From Moses' speech issues to Gideon throwing out fleeces to Peter's denial, people throughout scripture have backed out, made excuses and tried to weasel their way out of God's design for their lives.
It is time God's people began to stop getting someone else to do the ministry and get out there and be the church He has called us to be.  I am glad to have learned this lesson, even if it came from sleepy seven year old.  Now the only problem is, how to get these guys up.  I think I will try burning the breakfast and letting the fire alarm go off like my mom used to do to me.