Building Life Around Jesus

You should have already gathered that this season has been about discovering more about who Jesus is even if ever so briefly. Lately I have had plenty of opportunity to reflect on how that makes a difference to every day living.

The Life Context

Of course first let us talk about football. Watching the game tonight between Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspurs, having a little chuckle to myself that if Spurs fail to beat Villa, Bolton will be in a higher position than them. With all the buzz being about Spurs being title contenders I’d have thought Bolton fans would also be thinking about lifting the trophy at this rate!

Anyway, whilst watching the match and the build-up to it, I was aware of the talk about how certain teams should be playing. There was a report that Newcastle United should be building their team around Andy Carroll who has been on top form recently scoring regularly. When I think about building a team around a player I notice some benefits and drawbacks. The chief drawback, which is why I don’t go for it in football, is that the system that is dependent on an individual is thus prone to weakness if the centre player gets injured, is suspended or is low on form. The sport is a team game for a reason, so in as much as you want to play to your strengths, a wise manager makes the most of the material he has and develops a system that makes the most of all the players, rather than highlighting one or two.

Life Is A Team Game Built On Jesus

That works in football, but life is different. In as much as life is a team game – it’s not tennis, that’s for sure. It’s not even doubles, however much marriage is a crucial part of the deal. Life is a team game, the individual will only ever realise her potential in relationship with others in reaching towards the goals of the family which is communal development. Trust me, I’d love it to be a lone game. For years I preferred the hermit approach, but all of scripture would suggest otherwise.

In as much as it is a team game, however, the success of the team is based around building life around Jesus. That’s the whole point of being a follower of Christ and acknowledging Him as the writer of this faith game. As He is the writer, we depend on Him completely for the script. Not only will He give the script, He is the script and so our actions and words, thoughts and motives will be full of Him and His Kingdom. That is all of life.

Jesus vs. Being Bored

That is why it has been recently that I’ve had a problem with the concept of being bored. Being bored doesn’t make sense to me.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand and know what it is to be bored. Just as I understand how people can get into addictive behaviours, or have trivial pursuits, that doesn’t mean it makes sense. Likewise with the whole thing of being bored. Being bored is something I relate to young people especially, but it’s not just a young person’s issue. That sense of being listless and having nothing of interest to do with your life, that’s something that affects people of all ages. Take the dude who has only known the world of work all their life and then he retires. He doesn’t know what to do with himself and easily finds himself bored, because his life was built around work.

When life is built around Jesus and growing into His likeness and pursuing the things on His heart, there is little room for being bored. When I say little room, I mean no room. I don’t mean every minute of your life is taken up with activity – I am definitely not referring to life where you hardly have time for yourself. What I am talking about is engaging with the same wisdom of God that allows you to spend your money wisely, is the same wisdom that allows you to spend your time wisely. You get in on the script of the work, rest and play mentality. You get in on the script that alerts you to a time to build and a time to break down. You get in on it and really understand what He meant when He said abundant life.

I mean think of your prayer life – the people to pray for, the issues to pray for, the things to intercede about – and you’re bored? Now you have something to focus your pastime activities on – what you use Facebook for, what you use your mobile phone for, what film you’ll watch at the cinema, where you’ll go on your holiday. All of life captured by the thought of building it around Jesus. You see, it’s an easy song to sing – Jesus in my walking, Jesus in my talking, every minute of the day, I need Jesus, He’s my reason for living, He’s my source of survival, every minute of the day I need Jesus. Sure you need Him. That affects all of life.

What’s The Big Deal?

I make a big deal of it, because I realise how easy it is to forget it, neglect it, have a split life where Jesus was in your walking and your talking, but for the TV time Jesus had to leave the room because your were indulging in … I make a big deal of it because Jesus was with you when you went to church, but when you were doing revision for that exam Jesus had to leave the room. He helped when you were running out of money, but when you went out, He had to stay behind, because you and your mates had to sit and chat some …

So now there’s no need to be bored. Building life around Jesus is not a part-time deal. I’m not in charge any more. He is the centrepiece of the whole deal and that changes everything.

Not that this will help Tottenham or Newcastle of course.

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

dmcd