What? How?

As we focus on the tasks that we have to do, more often than not, we prioritize the WHAT and forget the HOW. It is natural for human minds to emphasize WHAT we do and the results that it will produce. However, the Spirit encourages us not to lose sight of HOW we carry out these tasks. Because if we do WHAT with the wrong motivation, the wrong intention, or the wrong attitude then all the results we produce can be rejected. So, we should keep our heartfelt eyes on HOW we do while we carry out the WHAT.

The success of WHAT we do in the community ultimately depends on HOW we do it. In other words, what matters most is whether or not we do just as our Lord did. For instance, our Lord humbled himself (Philippians 2:8), He did all things willingly (John 10:18), and He did all things in obedience to the will of God (John 8:29; Philippians 2:8; Hebrews 10:9). He didn’t do anything of His own accord but did just as His Father does (John 5:19). The point is that we have to adopt the Lord’s mindset regarding HOW we do WHAT we do. If we fail in this, WHAT we do may not be beneficial just as the miraculous gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 were useless because they lacked love, which is a HOW. So, if we fail to do WHAT according to the HOW the Lord would do, then we will be like those who did many mighty works in Jesus’ name but heard the Lord’s rebuke in front of heaven’s entrance, “I never knew you. Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matthew 7:23).

Singing competition programs give us a lesson to learn in this regard. Two singers compete with each other singing the same song, the listeners feel each one’s singing differently. One singer’s singing penetrates hearts while the other’s does just ears. The song, which is WHAT in this case, is the same, but it is HOW to sing it that makes the difference. The song may not move the listeners’ hearts unless the singer breathes life into it through singing. Figuratively speaking, WHAT we will do are our songs and we are the singers. The way in which our songs may effectively move our neighbors’ hearts is HOW our Lord sang them for us and moved our hearts to repent and obey His gospel.