Thursday, January 30, 2014

How's Your View?


Lately, I've really been noticing a change at my church, and in the broader Christian community. For a while, I thought it was only me, and my ever-developing attitude about legalism and rules. But, more and more, I'm finding a clear distinction between those who talk about their faith in terms of Godliness, Scripture study, memorization, etc. and those who's walk is just as real, but a little harder to see. While the activities of the former are good things, the "Great Commission" (as it's known) stated one simple thing... MAKE DISCIPLES. There are more words in the verse in Matthew 28, but the COMMAND is clear. I submit that the latter group of Believers may have the real deal figured out.

Look, for at least 20 years of my adult life, I lived the good Christian life. I became a believer in Christ in my teens. But, with no true discipling taking place in my life, I only learned what good vs. bad looked like, and that I better not do bad things. So, out of fear of doing "bad things," I also never fully surrendered my life in general. Instead, I put up fronts in the necessary places - home, church, etc. - all the while being a different guy away from those places. My view of God was only through a filter, mostly developed by the opinion of others, that was about how GOOD I was (or wasn't). When I finally admitted my duality, and began to deal with what and who I had really become, it cost me a home, a marriage, and altered relationships with the most important people in my life - my children.

But, praise be to God! When I DID finally admit those things, admit I was seeking acceptance in all the wrong places, and heard someone tell me that God loved me - and really believed ALL of it - God went to work. He began to show me what it feels like to truly love others. He showed me how much more He cares about my AVAILability than simply my ability to "be good." And, He really showed me how much more WALKING with Him can mold me to look like Him. He changed my view to be THROUGH Him, not AT Him.

Do you get that? Do you understand that often we look AT God instead of understanding that a real relationship should allow us to see THROUGH Him? If you are an adult, especially a middle aged adult, you know how you can see things like your parents once saw them. If that's because of how strong your relationship was with them, why would you expect less from our true Father? Why wouldn't He want you to see things as He saw them? Why wouldn't you want to?

The woman at the well, the woman in adultery, the blind man by the side of the road, and the crippled man at the pool of Siloam all found out what God's view of them - and their sin - really looked like. He never said their sin was OK, but consistently showed them that THEY were OK! Do you hear that? In spite of any sin in their life, He saw who they could be... indeed, who they were! His! His creation! His children! He lived John 3:17!

So, my friend who is sure that their church's new approach to things is way off base, or who thinks the loss of traditional church systems and hierarchy is dangerous... please ask yourself this:

WHO'S VIEW IS THAT?

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