Which Way?

It is my intent to put up a mini discussional/devotional each day of Lent. But, I may fall of that pace. I'd ask anyone who reads this to keep me accountable to it, however. Lent is a time for us to reflect and grow, and I feel that with each day bringing a new discussional/devotional and a prayer combining our program theme and Lent we can accomplish each of those in a better way. If you have a discussional/devotional for Lent that you'd like me to include, send it to me via e-mail at vicepresident@sigmatheta.org

Have you heard people talking about the kind of spiritual lifestyles we, as the body of Christ and as individual Christians, have to form? I hear a lot of talk about two kinds in particular. A vertical spiritual lifestyle, to use a Christian buzzword, where we focus on Christ, and let our attention be on Heavenly things, and through that impact the world. And, on the other hand, a horizontal spiritual lifestyle where we interact with others and serve and communicate with them, and impact our world that way.

I'm going to disagree with both approaches. Not that either one is bad, mind you. It's a great thing to focus on Christ, to draw inspiration from Him, and to try to emulate Him and think about Heavenly things. And it's a great thing to serve our fellowman, and to work alongside our fellowman, and to try to impact the world as us instead of as me.

My problem, my brothers, is when we try to dichotomize the two. And I think that's what happens. We focus on the vertical. We focus on the horizontal.

But I think if we try to emulate what Jesus, Peter, John, Paul, and so many other foundation layers of our faith did, we'd find that the answer is to have a spiritually diagonal lifestyle. What I mean by that, is that as look towards the Heavenly things and as we try to relate to Christ, we see that through and with others, we can do that in a much, much better manner. And that if we seek to reach out to others in work and in service and in community, we do that much, much better if we do it with a Christ-like attitude and a commitment towards Heavenly things.

Remember the words of Christ "God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but rather that the world through Him might be saved." I think a similar call to us is "The Holy Spirit does not empower us in this world so that we can escape it, but rather than the light of God might be shined throughout the world."

So, please, help me change the world. And let's change it through diagonal thinking. Both vertical and horizontal, at the same time. To serve God and to serve our fellowmen. Is there a higher calling?

Join me in this prayer:

Sovereign Lord,

Thank You for giving me the ability to relate to You
For giving me the faith to strive after you
And for giving me a world to live in with that faith and ability

Thank You for giving me a community to interact with and serve
And for placing me in the lives of people in need
And for giving me your power to work in all these situations

Help me to relate better with You by relating with others
Help me to relate better with others by relating with You

Bring me to atonement
Bring me to you
Bring me to love

Amen.