I Refuse, by CCM artist Josh Wilson, was released in 2011. The song’s from Josh’s fourth project with Sparrow Records entitled Carry Me, 
and on this album listeners find him opening up his heart more than ever as Josh shares about his dealings with anxiety and panic attacks.
I Refuse, in particular, deals with how we as true worshipers of God cannot sit idle and allow opportunities of service to pass us by. Despite what is going on in our own lives, we must refuse to ignore these opportunities and get busy serving God and humanity.
You see, Christ came primarily to seek and to save mankind from their sinful nature (Luke 19:10), but He also came as a servant of humanity. To show us, by His divine example, how to bring hope to the hopeless and extend help to the helpless (Mark 10:45).
Though Jesus Christ is the KING of Kings, and the LORD of Lords, He did not come to earth to rule over humanity as a conquering, divine Monarch. That day will certainly come (Revelation 19 & 20:1-4), but Jesus desired to fulfill the Father’s wishes first. That wish is to see all of mankind forgiven, and to see all of humanity loving one another. Just as God loves us and came to serve us, we should all the more love and serve each other.
This directive to love and serve each other is one that true believers are to extend to all people. Regardless of their appearance, attitude, creed, criminal record, fashion sense, infirmity, job, life-style, nationality, philosophy, race, religion, social status, etc. A true worshiper of God will fulfill this Christlike instruction, no matter the person or the cost.
And it’s not that we, who are followers of Christ, are endorsing sinful living by loving and serving people who are living in debauchery or some other type of wanton sin. No! What a true worshiper of God is doing is separating the sinner from the sin — disconnecting the human-being from the ungodly action — and showing God’s heart to mankind.
Just as a Doctor doesn’t see a disease as a definition of who or what his/her patient is, so too does God not see us as being defined by our sinful acts. This grace exists because God has chosen to offer us His divine forgiveness, and because we who claim Christ as our savior have received that divine, gracious forgiveness, we are to act as God has and love the sinner while always hating the sin. No matter who the sinner is, and no matter what the sin is, we are to separate them from each other and love and serve all of mankind.
It’s hard, I know, to grasp something so broad and gracious as this exhortation, but remember if we don’t love and serve, then we are not acting as Christ asked us to. Remember the words of Jesus from Matthew, chapter five:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:43-44)
And just as Christ also said, later on in Matthew, chapter twenty-five, these words from His story of the righteous King:
“ ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ ” (Matthew 25:37b-40)
True believers are to act kindly towards one another, meeting each others needs, being that “city on a hill” that Jesus told us to be in Matthew, chapter five (Matthew 5:14-16). True worshipers are also to extend the love of Christ towards all of humanity, and nothing shows the love of Christ better than serving each other; meeting each other’s needs.
I’ll close with the lyrics from a very popular song released in 1969. It was recorded by a secular group, The Hollies, but delivers a great message for Christians to adhere to. The song is He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother, and the lyrics are as follows:
“The road is long, with many a winding turn that leads us to who knows where — who knows where. But I’m strong; strong enough to carry him. He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.
So on we go. His welfare is of my concern. No burden is he to bear; we’ll get there. For I know he would not encumber me. He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.
If I’m laden at all, then I’m laden with sadness that everyone’s heart isn’t filled with the gladness of love for one another.
It’s a long, long road, from which there is no return. While we’re on the way to there, why not share. And the load, doesn’t weigh me down at all. He ain’t heavy he’s my brother.
He’s my brother; he ain’t heavy. He’s my brother; he ain’t heavy. He’s my brother.”
Living Your True Purpose by J. Scott Harden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at jasonmin.wordpress.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.jsnmin.org.
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
The “NIV” and “New International Version” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by International Bible Society. Use of either trademark requires the permission of International Bible Society.
I Refuse lyrics and music written by Benjamin Glover and Joshua David Wilson. Copyright © 2011 Sparrow Records.
Video made available by Jason Ministries and Sparrow Records. Manufactured by EMI Christian Music Group; Copyright © 2011 All Rights Reserved.
He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother lyrics and music written by Marcus Congleton. Copyright © 1969, 2003 Parlophone Records Ltd.
If your church or organization would like to talk with J. Scott Harden about a speaking engagement, or a writing project, please get in touch with Mr. Harden through Jason Ministries‘ Twitter account or Facebook page.
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