The 10 Second Rule



Click on the book to read the author's summary of the
10 second rule

You know how sometimes, particularly during a missions emphasis month, preachers will harp on being a missionary in your own community?  They rant about the lady in front of you in the grocery line, or the guy in the cubical next to yours at work, or the people you see every day going to and from work, your secretary, your boss, your neighbors.  It's terribly convicting! But here's the deal; I don't work outside the home.  My sphere of influence seems very small! And really, how should I go about approaching the lady in front of me in the check out line with the Romans Road, when I've got 4 hooligans I'm trying to keep in sight and in check?
In the past I've reasoned with myself that my children are my mission field right now. And that is very true!! They are perhaps the most important mission field I will ever encounter! The way I raise them could eventually influence hundreds or thousands of people for Christ, depending on how sold out they are for God. Talk about responsibility! But what if they never see me in action for Jesus? I'll say that again. What if they never see me in action for Jesus??? What kind of example am I setting for them to follow later in life, or even right now?
Last night and this morning I read a small book called The 10 Second Rule by Clare DeGraaf. The premise goes like this "just do the next thing you're reasonably certain Jesus wants you to do." That's it.  I got it in the mail from the Sonlight Curriculum office as a Christmas gift this past December and put it on the shelf.  I wanted to read it, but I was afraid. I don't like change. Can I be honest?  A lot of times I'm afraid to look at a book like this for fear I'll be called to evangalize a third world country.  Doesn't that sound horrible?  I hate that about myself, but it's true!
So, anyway, yesterday was Sunday. It was also the end of a "real church conference" at the church we've visited the last 2 Sundays.  I don't really understand how it is that they "plant" churches in other areas of the country and around the globe.  It's not by commissioning a member of the main church to go start one.  I guess that's not important.  At any rate, once a year they have this conference and invite members from these "church plants" and have a conference, and this past Sunday was the last day of it for 2012. It was amazing. It was all about evangalism and having the Gospel preached, and walking worthy of the Lord.  It was about the Goodness and the Majesty of our God. In short, it was one of those services that completely lifts your spirits and at the same time causes you to feel like a complete wretch. So when I got home and saw this book in the diaper bag (something told me to pull it off the shelf before the movers grabbed it -- go figure) I knew I needed to read it; so I picked it up and started.
It makes so much sense! It bridges the gap between what seems possible and what I feel a general sense of conviction about during mission services. It's not about enormous descisions, it's about sensing the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit and acting on it, before you can rationalize your way out of it. I don't have to make the decision to go knock on every door in our neighborhood and hand out tracts, or decided that I won't leave a grocery store before I speak to someone about Jesus, no matter what the boys are behaving like that day.  All I have to do is ask God to show me what He wants me to do and then do it.  Now, He could ask me to knock on my neighbors' doors, or he could simply ask me to wish the person beside me a good morning, or hand they guy on the corner a five dollar bill. They key is listening and obeying.  Being Jesus to someone when they need it.
I'll tell you what my first step was. Writing this post and putting the little vinyl clings with "10s on them in prominent reminder spots.  Then next is heading back over to Olive Garden where we had lunch yesterday.  I had a gift card that paid for the boys' lunches but most of my meal I paid for on my card. When the waiter brought the check back, for some reason I calculated my tip based only on the money that came out of my pocket, not the entire bill. I realized what I had done when I got to the car, but rationalized myself out of going back in. The boys are a good excuse for a lot of stuff. The only thing I could think about the whole time I was reading was that waiter and his tip.  He was friendly, and great with the boys and I'm pretty sure he saw us bowing to pray over our food.  Then I gave him an insulting tip. It woke me up at 5:30 this morning. I told God I would go.  I just hope he's working today!