Looking in the mirror

What did you get on the test?

How much do you get paid?

How did your child do in the sporting event?

How much of our energy do we spend on trying to look better than someone else?

We live in a culture that says...

Do you drive this car? It means you're successful.

Do you wear this label? It mean's you're stylish.

Do you drink this beverage? It means you're sexy.

But the way of the Kingdom offers a different approach to how we look at others...and ourselves.

Don't compare. We shouldn't look to others to determine our worth. In a world that tells us to measure our value by how much better or worse we are than someone else, God tells us that our value is found in the love He has for us.

Don't compete. This doesn't mean we can't play a game and try to win. However, when it comes to "real life," we should not use the performance of others as a benchmark. Instead, strive to do our best based on the talents and abilities God has blessed us with.

Don't condemn. So often we think we are "good" because we do something better than someone else. I'm not so bad because I don't do that sin.

At the end of the day, we need to look at ourself in the mirror instead of looking at someone else. The apostle James says it like this...

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. (James 1:22-25 NIV)

If we do that and realize how imperfect we are, we might feel even worse. By comparing ourselves with God's word and competing with God's standards, we could find ourselves feeling condemned. But that is where God's grace comes into play. God's grace allows us not to be judged by our sins, but affords us the freedom to face our sins and make the changes needed in our lives.

And, just as importantly, we need to extend the same grace to others that God has given to us. The apostle Paul addresses this issue while writing to a church struggling with legalism and pens these words...

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load. (Galatians 6:1-5 NIV)

Grace is not only something we receive; it's something we must share as well. But it will be challenging to do that as long as we depend on comparison to others for our value. Rather, look into the mirror of God's word, strive to make the right changes to become more like Jesus, and encourage others to do the same.

shine!

Jason

Earning grace?

When we are young, we are rewarded for our perfomance. Whether it's receiving accolades for a great athletic performance, good grades for excellent academic performance, or awards for artistic endeavors, we are trained from early on that how we do impacts our value.

As we transition into "the real world," we find this doesn't change much. We get paid based on our performance at work. We receive raises if we work hard and excel at what we do. Sometimes we even have the opportunity to earn awards and bonuses.

From an early age, we learn that if we work hard we can earn money and gain success.

And then we wonder why we struggle with the idea of grace.

Don't get me wrong. With all of it's challenges, I think that Capitalism is a fine economic system. It's not perfect, but I would venture to guess that many of those issues stem from the imperfect people - including me - who live within this system.

So what do we do?

Do we live in a dichotomous world where we have our work/economic life separate from our religious life?

Do we try to find an economic system that might reflect grace?

Do we allow the idea of earning bleed into our theology and work hard to God's love and salvation?

I have seen people try all of these, and more, and none of them work.

Living a divided life where work and religion are seprated leads to frustration and confusion.

I have never seen a perfect economic system, despite many valiant efforts.

Trying to earn God's love and salvation leads to disappointment, and often legalism.

So what do we do? Let's consider Paul's words in the book of Ephesians...

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. (Ephesians 6:5-8 NIV)

While Paul is writing to slaves, I believe this principle applies to those of us who work for anyone.

Don't work for your employer or yourself. Don't be a hard worker beacuse of what it is in it for you; work because you're a citizen of the Kingdom of God.

Ultimately, our allegiance is to the Kingdom. We are called to be agents of reconciliation and renewal. We bring light to the darkness, hope to the hopeless, and love to the unloved. That should be our focus at work, the "why" behind the how of our jobs.

But you might say, wait a minute, didn't Paul also say that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do? Those are the words in this passage, but we have to remember the larger context of the letter.

A few chapters earlier, Paul had written these words...

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV)

Our reward is not something we will earn; it is something we will receive because we live in the Kingdom. Instead of thinking of our reward as something we earn, think of it as something we receive as a result of living in a way that brings the presence of God into our midst.

Should we work hard in school, at our jobs, and in other aspects of our lives? Absolutely!

There's nothing wrong with wanting to earn an income, but remember that ultimately, our goal is to be a blessing when we are blessed. But as Paul reminds us in the passage above from Ephesians, are blessings are meant for us to use as opportunities to expand the borders of the Kingdom.

shine!

Jason

Indescribable

Last night at Pointfest, a Christian music event held at Cedar Point, I was able to see Chris Tomlin live for the first time. It was an incredible experience. One of the highlights of the evening occurred while Chris was singing his song Indescribable. I was standing in the Soak City parking lot, arms raised upward, looking into the sky as these words poured out of my mouth and into my heart:

Indescribable, uncontainable,

You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.

You are amazing God

All powerful, untameable,

Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim

You are amazing God

Indescribable, uncontainable,

You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.

You are amazing God

Incomparable, unchangeable

You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same

You are amazing God

You are amazing God

The same God that knows every star, every tiny point of light billions of miles away, knows me and my innermost thoughts and desires. And even more amazing is the idea that God still loves me in spite of what he knows about me.

The apostle Paul says it like this...

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8 NIV)

I think we so often take God's love for granted. We gather in buildings, surrounded by walls, covered by roofs, proclaiming a God who cannot be contained my either. There's nothing wrong with worshipping inside a building. But there was something about worshipping outside last night that provided a refreshing remembrance that my God is bigger than I could ever imagine.

Does this mean I won't face challenges? No, I live in a broken world.
Does this mean I won't fail? No, I am a broken person.
But it does mean that when I face challenges, I will never be alone. When I fail, I will not be condemned. The love and grace of God can overcome any challenge I face and any failure I might have.

Incomparable, unchangeable

You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same

You are amazing God

You are amazing God

shine!
Jason