Jeff Johnson: God’s will is found in ‘living the difference’

At The Gathering last year in San Antonio, I had the opportunity to experience the revolution in elevator technology. It is called a “destination elevator.”

Jeff JohnsonHere’s how it worked: Say I want to get to the fifth floor of the hotel. I simply had to walk up to the computer kiosk and type in the number of the floor I was headed. The computer analyzed my request, and used its sophisticated software algorithms to figure out the most direct and efficient way to respond to the traffic demands moment-to-moment.

Weight sensors, I understand, estimated the number of passengers already aboard to help “decide” whether to drop off me off before picking up new passengers. Since the computer groups passengers by floor, more elevators become available and each makes fewer stops.

Well, I strolled into the lobby and jumped on the first open elevator, only to find I had no control over where I was going after the doors shut. My comment and question was: “Somebody put these new elevators in since I was here last . Does anybody know how to use them?” Crickets. Nothing. No comments.

So I decided I would try to override the system by punching in floor numbers multiple times in hopes of getting faster service. Instead, you guessed it, the system slowed down. There’s just no substitute for a little bit of learning and a lot of trust if you want to get to where you’re supposed to be. (This story is amazingly similar to the one where I failed to ask someone for directions on my last vacation. My wife was furious—men!)

When I gave my life to Jesus Christ, I would like to have been able to know the destination details in advance. I would have loved it if God would have simply given me the floor plan and schedule for where my life would end up. Hence my obsession with “finding God’s will for my life” as though there were some magic bullet or formula to tell me precisely how my life will play out. I’d like to have the option of getting off a floor or two early, just in case things get to be too uncomfortable or if circumstances warrant.

God’s will for me isn’t exclusively bound up in my final destination. It is about Living the Difference he has made in me every day. Faithfulness isn’t about “what’s in it for me” in the future, but rather what’s possible for God and me to accomplish together in the present, realizing everything I do for God is part of God’s larger purpose.

So skip the buttons and step aboard. I’m headed for Waco and the 2015 Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting. I just hope the elevator revolution hasn’t made it there yet.

See you next week in Waco!

Jeff Johnson is president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and pastor of First Baptist Church in Commerce.