Recently I’ve come from a church setting that placed a high value on practicality. None of the pie in the sky when we die stuff. Nothing too aesthetic, philosophical or anything that required too much thought and meditation, as it were. Just do it. There’s a lot to be said for this mentality, this go get ’em attitude helps to make progress where others complain and do nothing.
Jesus taught a valuable lesson when certain critics slammed him for not following certain rituals. His statement was all about what is from within corrupts a man, not that which is from without (See Mark 7:1-16). So if we need a purifying process, that definitely starts from within. That starts from a renewed mind and it starts from a new heart that God places in us with new desires.
Whereas before those desires were self-seeking and as a result ultimately self-destructive, now there is thinking about things from a bigger perspective. The fear of the LORD means priorities are sure different than they were previously. The wonderful thing in the pursuit of wisdom, which starts from within is that it is like re-wiring all those internal instincts and worldviews. Imagine opening your mind to how the Lord used wisdom to establish creation itself and that very same wisdom being the motivating force in life.
Then when it is embedded within is it any wonder that things start to change outside? Then the practical element begins to manifest itself through relational courtesies.
You can see that outline in Proverbs 3. The scope of the chapter is pretty large, but you can trace through it the importance of getting the heart motivations right to lead to proper external consequences. Here are some examples.
vs. 1 & 2 – Commitment of the word to heart leads to extension of life. That is not a cast iron guarantee of long life. Otherwise by deduction those who live long are good and those who don’t are bad – but that’s not what is meant. The issue here is as much about quality as quantity. It starts from within and works its way out – but is not about ‘faking it til you make it’ attitude.
vs. 4, 5 & 7 leading to vs. 8 – internal commitments lead to external outcomes – but this is not about looking for the external
outcomes first and then doing what the internal work is required, because the internal work is about spiritual motivations, not pure external desires.
And on it goes.
This God-centred approach to life helps us to take things with equanimity – a bit like the Paul saying that whether he’s rich or poor in whatever state he finds himself in he’s learned to be content, primarily because his heart’s desire is not based on material/external/physical outcomes. If the heart is on fearing God and gaining knowledge, wisdom and understanding it will not be a case of shunning the material, but it will be a case of having the temperament affected more by the desire of the heart than by other circumstances that could trouble.
As the example of our faith reminds us often – those external necessities are already covered by our loving Father, the push of life is based on whether or not His Kingdom of righteousness and Holy Spirit joy is being promoted in our lifestyle.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
dmcd
Life With CD 