This month I’ve come to a place where I understand that I’m not giving enough of myself to Jesus. “How much is enough,” you say. The simple yet astoundingly difficult answer is “the entirety of my day.” Like I said, much easier said that actually put into play. But I think it could be so much easier than we make it. All we really need is a perspective change. And, maybe this is much easier done as a single person, but I would love to see it radically transform my entire life, through single-ness, marriage, without kids and then with kids, with every relationship and friendship I make, ever decision I make and in everything I do.
Perspective. One definition states “a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.” But, my favorite definition is “true understanding of the relative importance of things; a sense of proportion.” And that, my friends is exactly what I’m getting at.
When I think of proportions, my mind goes to a pie and subsequently the pieces of a pie. But, the funny thing about pies is that a crust usually holds them together. You see, as Christians and non-Christians alike, we relate things in terms of proportions. Whether in relation to a part of the day [morning, afternoon, evening, night] or in aspects of time [30 minutes, 1 hour, 3 hours, 8 hours], we usually talk about what we’ve done in relation to these quantities. “I spent 30 minutes reading the bible today;” “I prayed for 1 hour;” I was on the bus for 3 hours;” “I talked on the phone with my sister for 2 and a half hours,” everything we do is quantified.
But, what if we changed our perspective and instead of quantifying our time spent with God, doing things for God, we switched it around and instead quantified our time doing other things, like watching a movie, reading a book, travelling, and so on.
Jesus as a pie crust instead of the pieces. I don’t cut a piece of the pie to spend time with Jesus, because I always reside with him. Rather, one pie slice is spent watching a movie; another, reading a book or cleaning my room or spending time on Facebook. In essence, getting back to the idea of making the Main thing the main thing. It’s something I know that I am sorely lacking in.
It brings me back to the idea of being “holy” or “set apart.” If I’m doing everything someone who doesn’t know God is doing, how the heck am I set apart? I’m not. If I look like a duck, waddle like a duck, and quack like a duck, then I can’t be a turtle. Spending 30 minutes a day in the word doesn’t change me from a duck to a turtle. [I know I’m all over the board with these analogies, but I’m hoping you get the point.]
Let’s get back to being salt instead of pepper. Let’s get back to being a city on a hill, one that stands out instead of melding into the suburbs. We are called to be set apart, not to blend in.
“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes – these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.
So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.’
[Eph 5:1-4, 15-20]
