Burn out or Rust out?

 

Amy Carmichael lived in the first half of the 20th century.  She was an Irish Christian missionary in India who served for 55 years without furlough and wrote 35 books about the missionary work. She was famously quoted as saying, “I’d rather burn out than rust out.”

As it turns out, George Whitfield, the famous revivalist in the 18th century, was the first to express this sentiment when he said, “I would rather wear out than rust out.” He preached over 18,000 formal sermons over a span of 33 years.  

Both are excellent examples of commitment to the cause of Christ over the long haul.  They had nothing good to say about rusting out.

Rusting out is not a good look for Christians.  The Christian life certainly can be very challenging.  It would be very easy to burn out or wear out in the service of the Lord. But there is no place for rusting out.

Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. (Gal 6:9)

As Christians we want to be careful to pace ourselves in our service.  The Christian life is not a sprint, but an endurance race.

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Heb 12:1-3)

not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; (Ro 12:11)

These passages speak of “not losing heart, not growing weary, laying aside every encumbrance, running with endurance, not growing weary and losing heart.”  The person that takes these admonitions to heart would never rust out.

It seems I remember from science class in school that rust is a slow burn.

It's just like the three items needed for a fire: Fuel (the steel), Heat (any temperature above freezing), and Oxygen (to support the burning or rusting). In fact, rust can be thought of as a slow burn, like charcoal, where rust is the ash.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately.  As for me, I’d prefer neither.  If possible, I’d rather not burn out OR rust out.

The one that burns out puts his life and ministry in jeopardy.  By setting an unrealistic pace and putting unbearable responsibilities on himself he reaches the point of giving up.  This is so easy to do in the Lord’s work.  There are always more needs out there than you can possibly meet.  There are also demands on you that are far beyond your human capacity to address.  Particularly if you are struggling in your own efforts and not casting your cares on Him, burnout may be immanent.

So, what about those who rust out.  They hold back.  They conserve their energy.  They seldom step out in faith.  They are immobile.  Just like joints that freeze up from lack of use, the rusty person becomes less pliable, less moldable, more rigid, and calloused. It is possible to be so rusty that you are of little use to the Lord.

Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.[1] (2 Tim 2:20-21)

I want to be useful to the Master, don’t you?  If I burn out, what good am I in His service.  Same if I rust out.  But if I must pick one or the other? Burnout every time, just like Amy Carmichael and George Whitfield.

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^[1] The passages used in this post were taken from New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995).