Greatest Achievement

What is your greatest achievement?

For me, it has to be Faith. The idea that I helped to create something so amazing is a little overwhelming. She grows, she moves on her own, she interacts with people, she makes decisions. How mind blowing is that?

Other achievements we had tonight were conversions (where people accept Jesus into their lives), taking on a leadership role, and school certificates. All good stuff, and it's only right that we remember our achievements.

But (there's always a 'but' isn't there?) Jesus tells us that "human effort accomplishes nothing" [Jn 6.63], that it is the Holy Spirit giving us strength to achieve. What does that really mean?

Well, it means that whatever we achieve without God's help is nothing compared to what we can achieve with God. Consider the disciples: when Jesus was alive and they could rely on him, they kept making mistakes (in the Gospels they seem a little like circus clowns, bumping into each other, panicking, and so on). In Mark's Gospel the disciples aren't able to cast out a demon possessing a young boy, Jesus is suitably disgruntled.

"You unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you?"

Jesus has spent his time developing the skills of the disciples to carry on his work after he's gone, but they still can't do it. Why not? It isn't that they don't know how: they've seen Jesus do it before. What they lack is faith - "you unbelieving generation" - and it's not until Jesus has died and ascended to Heaven, and the Holy Spirit comes that they develop the faith they need. Faith enough to cast out demons left, right and centre, faith enough to bring thousands of people to Christianity, faith enough to go to their deaths declaring Jesus is God.

Now, I'm alright, I've got Faith twenty-four-seven (she's asleep at the moment, but she could wake up any time), the question is, how much faith do you have?