Do stuff with and for your neighbors
Why Care About How You Live?
Does what you do today really matter? In all reality, you can get away with just about anything - particularly if you try to conceal it. Yet, what you do is very important whether it is detected understood by others or not.
Life at its core is relational. And what you do will always affect your relationships. The first relationship that is affected by your actions is your relationship with God. God is present and involved in your life whether you perceive it or not. He created you and is with you no matter what. Psalm 139 makes it clear that we cannot go anywhere to hide from God. David writes, "Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?" (Verse 7) Neither life nor death, heaven nor hell, the bedroom nor the kitchen, times of darkness nor light, solitude nor crowds - none of these places can isolate us from God's presence. And what we do reflects the nature of our relationship with Him. He created us and lives with us; our activities express our level of interaction with Him and desire to walk with Him.
The second relationship that is affected by what you do is your relationship with yourself. The apostle Paul said, "Everything is permissible for me - but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me - but I will not be mastered by anything." (1 Corinthians 6:12) Paul is highlighting the fact that what we do impacts how we relate to ourselves. Some things affirm our sense of self and our personal mastery and self-control; and other things can undermine the development of these perceptions and abilities. Some activities can actually lead to personal slavery and bondage, naturally opening the door to guilt, fear, insensitivity and a lack of personal worth. However, no matter how bound we may become in any area, an appropriate application of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus has the power to set us free. "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." (Galatians5:1)
Lastly, what we do dramatically affects our relationships with others. Unhealthy and/or sinful activity assaults and undermines relationships. These activities lead us to hide from, ignore or aggress others. We see the earliest examples of these patterns in the lives of Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel. (Genesis 3-4) On the other hand, healthy, pure and loving activity and service draws us closer to people and builds relationships. "Love builds others up." (1 Corinthians 8:1) Though it may seem that our isolated acts have little to do with our relationships, it's not true. We are connected to others - our families, friends, work-mates and fellow believers. Our activities demonstrate our awareness of and commitment to these relationships. If we live as if these relationships and ties do not exist, such living has negative relational impact.
So, be clear minded and self-controlled, so you can prayerfully relate to God, yourself and others. And, love each other deeply, realizing that love covers a multitude of sin. (1 Peter 4:7-8)
Committed to relationship with you,
Pastor Tom
tgriffith@rolcboston.org
Life at its core is relational. And what you do will always affect your relationships. The first relationship that is affected by your actions is your relationship with God. God is present and involved in your life whether you perceive it or not. He created you and is with you no matter what. Psalm 139 makes it clear that we cannot go anywhere to hide from God. David writes, "Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?" (Verse 7) Neither life nor death, heaven nor hell, the bedroom nor the kitchen, times of darkness nor light, solitude nor crowds - none of these places can isolate us from God's presence. And what we do reflects the nature of our relationship with Him. He created us and lives with us; our activities express our level of interaction with Him and desire to walk with Him.
The second relationship that is affected by what you do is your relationship with yourself. The apostle Paul said, "Everything is permissible for me - but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me - but I will not be mastered by anything." (1 Corinthians 6:12) Paul is highlighting the fact that what we do impacts how we relate to ourselves. Some things affirm our sense of self and our personal mastery and self-control; and other things can undermine the development of these perceptions and abilities. Some activities can actually lead to personal slavery and bondage, naturally opening the door to guilt, fear, insensitivity and a lack of personal worth. However, no matter how bound we may become in any area, an appropriate application of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus has the power to set us free. "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." (Galatians5:1)
Lastly, what we do dramatically affects our relationships with others. Unhealthy and/or sinful activity assaults and undermines relationships. These activities lead us to hide from, ignore or aggress others. We see the earliest examples of these patterns in the lives of Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel. (Genesis 3-4) On the other hand, healthy, pure and loving activity and service draws us closer to people and builds relationships. "Love builds others up." (1 Corinthians 8:1) Though it may seem that our isolated acts have little to do with our relationships, it's not true. We are connected to others - our families, friends, work-mates and fellow believers. Our activities demonstrate our awareness of and commitment to these relationships. If we live as if these relationships and ties do not exist, such living has negative relational impact.
So, be clear minded and self-controlled, so you can prayerfully relate to God, yourself and others. And, love each other deeply, realizing that love covers a multitude of sin. (1 Peter 4:7-8)
Committed to relationship with you,
Pastor Tom
tgriffith@rolcboston.org
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