Crosswalk.com--The Devotional

[Judy Harder]

July 9, 2010

The Epic Battle Sequence Within
by Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor



Do not love the world or anything in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world.  The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

1 John 2:15-17

"Hey, we're going to go see _________ at the movie theater on Friday night.  Want to go with?"

The older I get, the more that question is one that is met with internal conflict and less with joie de vivre or devil-may-care attitude (when in all actuality, the Devil really does care!).  I'm more cautious now and am concerned with what types of moving pictures and dialogue I'm allowing into my head and heart.

When I was a high schooler, I only followed the rating.  If it's R-rated, then I know I can't go.  Mom and Dad won't let me, and I'll get in trouble  if I go see this movie.  So, of course, my intake was more limited.  That time period also marked the beginning of the PG-13 rating which didn't push the limits then nearly as much as it does now (in case you hadn't noticed, in the twenty-first century PG-13 is the new R).  So I was usually pretty safe with any movie below an R rating. 

Or ... was I?

I remember some films that I watched back then that, had the "adult me" had a short conversation with the "teenager me," I probably would have thought twice about seeing them.  It never occurred to me to consult a review of a film before going to the theater.  All that mattered was the rating, who was starring and what the story was about.  With those few bits of info, I was ready to make an "informed" decision. 

These days, I know too much.  I read about films long before they hit theaters, and I learn what kinds of objectionable content are going to be at play.  And this is where the epic battle sequence within begins.

You know those type of scenes.  Think of some of the greatest battles ever portrayed on film, and you'll get the picture (Saving Private Ryan, The Lord of the Rings, Braveheart—and maybe some of the Star Wars movies which somehow haven't aged quite so well, but I still love them anyway).

Swords and shields, tanks and machine guns, force fields and light sabers—they're all making a metaphorical racket inside of me when contemplating, Is this movie too "of the world" and is it against God or righteousness?  During these moments, it's truly a fight for me.  For my allegiance.  To whom do I belong?  And who will win?

As I strive to grow in my faith and allow the work of the Holy Spirit to transform me, to correct my wayward thinking and to propel me toward paths of righteousness, I have to decide what I should or should not let invade my life (Rom. 12:2)

Will this film play a part in the renewing of my mind?  Will I learn something from it that I can apply to my life?  Will it draw me closer toward or lead me away from God?  Or am I being too strict and need to recognize that some movies are pretty much harmless to my Christian walk?

At the end of the day, each of us must decide for himself or herself what is acceptable and what is God's will for our personal cinematic consumption.  Whether it's choosing which films to watch or any other life decisions, it's when the epic battle sequence within ceases that we know we have real problems.

Intersection of Faith & Life:  Yes, life goes by very fast.  But we need to pause.  We need to ponder.  We need to see what's going on inside of our hearts and minds.  Take some time today to think about what recent life choices you have made (whether it's movies you've watched or otherwise).  How did you arrive at your final decisions?  Were you conflicted?  Should you have been? 

Further Reading:

Philippians 4:8

Can Anything Good Come from Hollywood?

[Judy Harder]

July 12, 2010

Ambition
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands.
1 Thessalonians 4:11

Quaint, right?

Be honest; read today's verse and then try telling your children that such is all they should aspire to; that, essentially, unheralded blue collar work should be their ambition. Aim high? Sounds more like settling for anonymity.

What could Paul be getting at? Sure there are times we all grow tired of the rat race and perhaps dream about a scenario where we forsake the city and a high-pressure job for a more pastoral setting, crafting furniture and knick-knacks, living in harmony. Is that what this verse is getting at?

Let's look deeper.

The Greek word philotim means to labor, endeavor, strive, study to become. It is used in three places in the New Testament. The first is quoted above, regarding ambition, which sounds not much like what we typically imagine when we think of things to be ambitious about.

Another place the word appears is Romans 15:20, where Paul writes, "And thus I aspired to preach the gospel..."

In 2 Corinthians 5:9 we read, "We have as our ambition... to be pleasing to Him."

Contrast these goals with the first defitinion under "ambition" on Dictionary.com:

1. an earnest desire for some type of achievement or distinction, as power, honor, fame, or wealth, and the willingness to strive for its attainment.

I thought so. The more I study, the more I philotim to know God, the more I understand how different the Word and the world really are. Perhaps folks who live in other parts of the globe are less shocked to learn such lessons. For me, born, raised, working, and raising children in these United States, the lesson is always one of dichotomy, paradox, and sadly wondering if I'm handicapped beyond repair from truly following.

One of my bosses is fond of saying that in business, it's crucial to determine early on whether a person you are dealing with is a "make me rich" or a "make me famous" person. Everyone, the story goes, is either one or the other at heart. And truly, according to the world's definition of ambition, that makes sense. We all have something we want that drives us.

Lately I've been wondering a lot at where this has gotten me. Everything I have done, accomplished, purposed, learned, studied (i.e. "philotim-ed") in life has led to... what, exactly? What goal? When I pray that the Lord would make my life useful and provide for me and let me know His will and keep me safe it's all so... what? So I can watch my TV programs every night without acid in my stomach and with an easy feeling in my chest? As opposed to having to really live by faith?

Today I read this quote by the English poet Samuel Johnson: "To be happy at home is the ultimate result of all ambition." Instantly my face fell. I knew that feeling all too well. All my aspirations only lead to the place of comfort, happiness, the path of least resistance. What's wrong with that? It quickly becomes a place that feels too far from God, too self-centered, too out of the loop, too far removed to be making a real difference.

So what then is the ambition of the Christ-follower?

Lead a quiet life
Attend to your own business
Work with your hands
Preach the gospel
Be pleasing to Him
In other words, don't stress yourself with fame, or getting and spending, always climbing, making more more more. Don't bother with being a busy-body or a gossip. Be creative; let God work through you. Tell others about Him. And live by faith.

It's so simple, almost too simple. Ambition isn't something far out there, some unabashed worldly success beyond our dreams, though that's where God may take us. It all goes back to the very reason God made man in the first place - to have someone to know Him.

And there's just not anything quaint about that.

Intersecting Faith & Life: The bulleted points above might sound too easy, too simple. And they can be. But when was the last time you made any or all of these your ambition? Pick one and practice it today, perhaps preaching the gospel to someone, perhaps seeking God's pleasure more than your own in any decisions you make.

Further Reading

What Motivates You?
Romans 15:20
2 Corinthians 5:9

[Judy Harder]

July 13, 2010

A Life Dedicated to the Gospel
by Sarah Jennings, Crosswalk.com Family Editor

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. Mark 8:35


"To love God as He ought to be loved, we must be detached from all temporal love." ~ St. Peter Claver

Sometimes God asks us to faithfully follow Him in the everyday tasks, and sometimes He calls us to do something really big and really hard. This is the kind of calling I stumbled across when I read about a man named Peter Claver while researching Christian heroes of days gone by. While our lives are playing out in different times with different issues, reading about his courageous devotion to the Gospel is a good reminder to me of what it looks like to live for God instead of myself.

Born in 1581, Peter Claver's beginning reads like the typical story of a man growing up in 16th century Spain. He studied theology and joined the Jesuit order of priests. But in 1610, Peter left his homeland to become a missionary in the country we now call Colombia.

Columbia was the center of the slave trade in the New World during this time, and while church officials had openly condemned the injustices of the African slave trade, the industry continued to flourish. Peter's mission in this foreign land would be to minister to fellow foreigners, the African slaves.

Bought, sold and treated worse than animals, thousands of African men and women were shipped into the wealthy city of Cartagena to be sold to plantation owners. An estimated one third to one half of them died on the journey over, unable to endure the horrific conditions - conditions so putrid, it would make you feel ill if I described them in depth. By the time Peter Claver met them, these men and women were starving, dying, dirty, and mentally broken.

Peter Claver was known for boarding the suffocating ships immediately upon arrival with food and medicine, caring for men and women in a situation most would find unbearable.

But Peter's ministry did not end with meeting physical needs. He trained interpreters to communicate with the diverse array of African dialects, assuring each person of their dignity and worth as human beings created in God's image. After sharing the Gospel in their respective languages, he baptized men and women before they were sold.

While Peter Claver was powerless to stop the slave trade, he worked hard to defend African men and woman against their oppressors every chance he got. He visited their plantations to encourage them and exhorted the plantation owners to treat them well. He even assembled African slaves for worship services during Easter and did everything he could to fight for their freedoms and meet their needs.

Claver not only displayed Christ-like love to the oppressed but with God's grace he overcame personal shortcomings. Born with a timid nature, Claver displayed uncharacteristic boldness in his ministry. He endured hatred from the slave traders and societal rejection from the citizens of Cartagena. Even some Christians thought he was wasting his time, but Claver continued his work. He baptized an estimated 300,000 African men and women in his 33 years of ministry.

Claver ultimately became a societal force for good in Cartagena, and after his death, the "apostle to the slaves" was openly granted the respect he never received in his lifetime.

How can a man give up all that is familiar and comfortable to spend a life defending those few were interested in saving at that time? Claver was not holier than you or I, he simply followed God's leading in his life. His love for God and for those in need superseded everything else, and no doubt he enjoys many friendships in heaven.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Has God ever asked you to do something hard, something that felt impossible or threatened your reputation? What was your response? Ask God for the grace to do His will, even in the face of personal sacrifice.

Further Reading:

John 12: 20 - 36

William Wilberforce: The Man Who Didn't Desert


*Details of Peter Claver's life from: "St. Peter Claver", "Saint of the Day, September 9th," "Saints and Angels: St. Peter Claver"

[Judy Harder]

July 14, 2010

Only One Way to Achieve Patience
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Faith Editor

The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.
Ecclesiastes 7:8, NIV


Our senior pastor came into the room for a pre-arranged talk with all of us high school senior guys. He wanted to share something with us as we moved off into the next phases of our lives.

Out of all the applications and biblical wisdom at his disposal, what one topic was on his heart? What advice did he wish to impart above all?

He began by asking us to envision where we'd be in five, 10, 20 years. I'm just now coming up on that 20th year; I'm amazed at how differently some things have turned out, and how similar to my goals other things are. But that's not the point.

Our pastor next told us that the one thing we ought to pursue more than any other was... not holiness, not righteousness, not prayer... but patience. "Boys, raise your hand if you want to be a man of patience."

Okay, sure. Sounds good. Patience, yeah, that could be helpful to me. Hand up.

"Great. I'll tell you what, boys, can I pray with you now? But be aware, only agree with me in this prayer if you mean it, if you really want patience. Because do you know what it takes to develop patience? Problems. Only problems - and the way you react to them and trust God through them - can develop patience. Do you understand? So that's what I'm going to ask God for right now, that He'll bring you all problems. Are you ready?"

Sure. Why not?

Oh boy. Looking back, the last 20 years haven't exactly been hell on earth, but they've sure been full of their share of problems. Right at this moment, I've got one that's forcing me to wait... and wait... and wait for an answer. I feel shamed when I go through a study about Abraham and how long he waited and waited for God to fulfill a direct promise, because I can't imagine waiting any longer than I already have. The only reason I continue to do so is because of the patience and wisdom I've built up having passed through earlier problems and trials, the outcomes of which inform me to keep waiting.

What's the moral here? Be careful what you pray for? Hmmm... maybe... but I think I prefer the lesson in today's verse, that patience (trusting God's way and waiting on His promise) is better than pride (my idea of the best way). To me, it's really eye-opening to think of those two concepts - patience and pride - as the opposites of each other. It suggests patience is akin to humility, and pride the brother of instant gratification. And I guess that makes sense. But why is patience better? Especially in this day and age when so much is there for the taking? When the respected thing to do is reach out and go for it? What had my pastor so convinced that doing the opposite was the most important lesson to send young men out into the world?

Honestly I haven't completely figured that out yet. Appropriately, it's something I'm willing to be patient to gain the wisdom of. But I suspect it has something to do with that pesky old verse from James:

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:2-4).

Only problems can bring patience; only trials can test faith and make it real. Only endurance can lead to completion.

And when I am complete, I will lack nothing. At which time I apparently will have superceded even patience, as what would there be to wait for if I lack nothing?

It sounds almost mystical, almost unachievable, at least until the end of my life or when I meet God. Until then, I simply pray that the experience of each problem and the eventual result will steel me into calm, patient submission to God's perfect timing.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Are you willing to pray a problem into your life? Why or why not? 

Further Reading

Afraid God Will Give You Patience?
Pursue Patience

[Judy Harder]

July 15, 2010

Sneaky Christians
by Katherine Britton, Crosswalk.com News & Culture Editor

"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven." - Matthew 6:1

I've noticed that it's easier to serve God if others are watching. I speak Christianese more fluently and I blend into the Christian culture better at those times. Sundays are probably the easiest, with the whole congregation around me. It's not too difficult when I'm "serving behind the scenes" after loudly volunteering or when I've generously invited people over for dinner, either.

Nope. The times that are truly difficult come when I'm ready for bed and have to choose my reading time carefully, or when I see a task that needs to be done but won't lead to any praise or even thanks. Cleaning the toilet comes to mind.

You see, I often confuse "letting my light shine before men" (Matt. 5:16) with getting my good Christian character applauded. I may be genuinely happy to help, but that little bit of praise sure doesn't hurt.

"But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words ... when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." (Matthew 6:6-7, 17-18)

The Christian transformation works from the inside out, not from the outside in. It's when we're sneaky Christians, worshipping God for who He is and what He's done without trying to draw attention to ourselves, that we bring a smile to His face.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Cultivating time in the closet actually leads to the most vibrant Christian living of all, because what's done in secret will spill out into full view. Then our light shines before men because it cannot be contained within the closet. Today, take time to seek God from a private place - and let the attitude of worship follow you when you leave it. Look forward to praising God in secret!

Further Reading: 

Matthew 6
Awakening the Giant of Worshipfulness
12 Steps to Change Your Prayer Life

[Judy Harder]

July 16, 2010

Stain on the Brain
by Fred Alberti, Crosswalk.com Senior Manager of Social Networking

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Psalm 119:11


I watched Caleb as he sat there in deep concentration just staring at the book. Finally, I asked him what he was doing. His response was one I had never heard before. He said, "I'm staining it into my brain."

He was memorizing Scripture verses for AWANA Club.

The thing is he knew what he was doing. He knew that he was trying to burn the words into his memory so he could pass on to the next challenge.

I like how today's verse applies to Caleb's staining power. The psalmist gives the reason why he is hiding God's Word. What is it? So that he will not sin against God.

The reason for Bible memorization is to help us to abstain from sinning.

Oftentimes we resist Bible memorization. Instead we choose to stain our brain with TV shows depicting adultery, murder, and obscenity. Then we get ourselves into a moral bind and we wonder how we got into that place. We shouldn't wonder. We should realize that what we choose to watch and/or memorize is what is going to stain into our brain.

"Oh, that sex scene isn't so bad, at least they muted the sounds."

"Why yes, the whole point of the show was that the husband didn't get along with his wife and had an affair. But at least he was able to get a divorce and the mom was able to keep the kids."

"Well, sure there was a lot of swearing but the story was great and the murder scenes were so realistic. Cinematography has really advanced these last few years."

Folks, these are stains. They will stain your conscious and your heart and those of your family.

What are you staining your brain with these days?

Intersecting Faith & Life: Spend some time this week with your family memorizing key scriptures about salvation, like Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Acts 16:31, and 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.

Further Reading

Why Memorize Scripture?
Teaching Memorization and Speaking Skills to Your Children
2 Timothy 3:16-17

 

[Judy Harder]

July 19, 2010

What's in a Name?
by Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Entertainment Editor

To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.
Revelation 2:17, NIV

Growing up, I always wished for a "kinder, gentler" name.

With a last name like "MacCorkle," I'm sure you can imagine the kind of variations on a theme that I encountered during my formative years: MacDorkle, MacSnorkle, MacaDoodle, MacCorky-Snork.  And so on.

I didn't want to stand out and just wanted to blend in and have a "normal" name like everyone else. I remember thinking "Foster" or "Graham" or "Smith" might be nice and less conspicuous names. But, as I would later realize, changing your name is no easy task.  It becomes a legal issue, whether you go to court to have it changed or (for the female set) whether or not you get married and take your husband's last name.

In the Bible, sometimes it took supernatural intervention to change names: Abram to Abraham, Simon to Peter and Jacob to Israel. ...

That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of Jabbok. After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak."

But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."

The man asked him, "What is your name?" 

"Jacob," he answered.

Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."

Jacob said, "Please tell me your name."

But he replied, "Why do you ask my name?" Then he blessed him there.

So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared."

- Genesis 32:22-30, NIV

Jacob's name change to Israel signified a turning point in his life. A spiritual crossroads. After wrestling with God, he had a new identity (and a new purpose) going forward. His name meant "prince with God," and his descendants were known as Israelites or descendants of Israel. 

While I was wishing for a different last name as a child, I didn't realize that I, too, had already undergone a name change. It happened when I was three years old and accepted Christ into my heart. At that point, I became known as a Christian. A child of God. An heir to the Kingdom. A member of a royal family and priesthood. And a descendant of Israel (Ephesians 3:6).

What about you? If you have not asked Christ to come into your life, are you ready for a new name today? Click here for help in taking this important step. 

And if you already have become a Christian, what does your new name in Christ mean to you? 

Intersecting Faith & Life: Whether you have just become a Christian or have walked with the Lord for quite a while, you have a new name in Christ. Reflect on what your name-your identity as a believer-means to you. Does it define who you are? Why or why not?

Further Reading:

Isaiah 62:2, NIV
1 Peter 2:9, NIV
Revelation 3:5, NIV

[Judy Harder]

July 20, 2010

The Significant Life
by Sarah Jennings, Crosswalk.com Family Editor

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" Matthew 25: 37 - 40


Have you ever felt dissatisfied with life? Have you ever wondered if perhaps God intended you for bigger things than what you're doing right now or that perhaps your chance at leaving a mark on this world has passed you by?


If you grew up in my generation, you were probably encouraged to dream big and to make a difference in the world. Depending on how your life has played out so far, you may be experiencing some disappointment as your youthful ideals clashed with the hard realities of life.


But something I, a natural-born idealist, have learned recently is that chasing idealistic notions of bettering myself or mankind can actually direct us away from our calling in Christ.

That's because achieving big personal dreams or implementing social programs for the betterment of the globe really isn't at the heart of Christianity. After all, God redeemed you and me by trading His power and importance in for a hidden, mostly ordinary life that culminated in a humiliating death.

Mother Teresa grasped God's special love for littleness with startling clarity. While most of us view Mother Teresa as a spiritual celebrity who did "big things" for the world, a closer look into her ministry reveals a woman who did not care for broad, idealistic notions. In the book Finding Calcutta (InterVarsity Press 2008), university professor Mary Poplin reflects on the two months she spent volunteering with Mother Teresa and her Missionaries of Charity during the summer of '96.

As a worker in the Missionary-run children's home, Poplin found herself immersed in a humble life most would find excruciatingly boring. A typical day for a Missionary of Charity is filled with repetitive, tedious chores necessary to meet the needs of those who arrive at their doorstep.


Poplin shares, "[Mother Teresa] believed that 'welfare is for a purpose - an admirable one - whereas Christian love is for a person.'"  The Missionaries' love for a personal God fuels them to love on a personal level, believing no global cause can be effective if it disregards the dignity of even the smallest person. So they feed each disabled infant as if they are feeding the infant Christ. They bathe each dying man as if they are bathing the crucified Christ. And they turn no one away, moving through their hours, days and weeks with joy when most would have given up long ago out of frustration or despair.


Poplin notes that during her time with this flourishing, world-renowned ministry, she never heard a Missionary sister speak of eradicating the world of hunger or even ridding India of hunger. They simply feed the hungry person in front of them. Poplin shares:


"The humility and clarity with which Mother Teresa understood her task in life was one of the most incredible things about her. People go into teaching, nursing, politics, or business with ideas of doing revolutionary things. I once encouraged this unrealistic zeal in my students who became teachers. Now I see how easily they became depressed and discouraged ... Starting out with the fervor to change the world can be a quick rut to discouragement. Sometimes despair is a result of thinking too highly of oneself."

As Christians, we must be careful to fend off this despair born of pride. Chasing big ideals apart from the "smallness" of Christ can distract us from God's will. The mother who feeds and bathes her infant is doing the same work as Mother Teresa where the spouse who abandons his family in favor of a more "significant" life grieves God.


Chasing ideologies apart from Christ can also blind us from meeting the immediate needs of those sitting in front of us. Mother Teresa once encountered a starving man lying on the steps of a conference center where important leaders gathered to address, get this -- world hunger. And in worst-case scenarios, a failure to balance global thinking with love for the least can lead well-meaning people down a path fraught with bloated, utopian philosophies that promote widespread evil instead of good.


I personally am slowly learning to train my "idealist within" to accept that a simple life of serving those around me is often God's ideal. And if we are unwilling to love each individual we encounter in our small spheres of influence then our highest ideals for humanity amount to nothing. The second part of the Gospel in Matthew puts things in perspective for me: Christ tells those who did not love the "least of these" to depart from Him, into "the eternal fire."


Intersecting Faith & Life: Is the Christian faith just a philosophy to you or a personal relationship with a living God and those He loves? Serve a person in need, not for your own satisfaction or to serve a "cause" but because that person is a fellow human being loved by Christ.

Further Reading

The Prisoner's Mite: Responding to Those in Need

 

[Judy Harder]

July 21, 2010

Ambition
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Faith Editor

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands.
1 Thessalonians 4:11

Quaint, right?

Be honest; read today's verse and then try telling your children that such is all they should aspire to; that, essentially, unheralded blue collar work should be their ambition. Aim high? Sounds more like settling for anonymity.

What could Paul be getting at? Sure there are times we all grow tired of the rat race and perhaps dream about a scenario where we forsake the city and a high-pressure job for a more pastoral setting, crafting furniture and knick-knacks, living in harmony. Is that what this verse is getting at?

Let's look deeper.

The Greek word philotim means to labor, endeavor, strive, study to become. It is used in three places in the New Testament. The first is quoted above, regarding ambition, which sounds not much like what we typically imagine when we think of things to be ambitious about.

Another place the word appears is Romans 15:20, where Paul writes, "And thus I aspired to preach the gospel..."

In 2 Corinthians 5:9 we read, "We have as our ambition... to be pleasing to Him."

Contrast these goals with the first defitinion under "ambition" on Dictionary.com:

1. an earnest desire for some type of achievement or distinction, as power, honor, fame, or wealth, and the willingness to strive for its attainment.

I thought so. The more I study, the more I philotim to know God, the more I understand how different the Word and the world really are. Perhaps folks who live in other parts of the globe are less shocked to learn such lessons. For me, born, raised, working, and raising children in these United States, the lesson is always one of dichotomy, paradox, and sadly wondering if I'm handicapped beyond repair from truly following.

One of my bosses is fond of saying that in business, it's crucial to determine early on whether a person you are dealing with is a "make me rich" or a "make me famous" person. Everyone, the story goes, is either one or the other at heart. And truly, according to the world's definition of ambition, that makes sense. We all have something we want that drives us.

Lately I've been wondering a lot at where this has gotten me. Everything I have done, accomplished, purposed, learned, studied (i.e. "philotim-ed") in life has led to... what, exactly? What goal? When I pray that the Lord would make my life useful and provide for me and let me know His will and keep me safe it's all so... what? So I can watch my TV programs every night without acid in my stomach and with an easy feeling in my chest? As opposed to having to really live by faith?

Today I read this quote by the English poet Samuel Johnson: "To be happy at home is the ultimate result of all ambition." Instantly my face fell. I knew that feeling all too well. All my aspirations only lead to the place of comfort, happiness, the path of least resistance. What's wrong with that? It quickly becomes a place that feels too far from God, too self-centered, too out of the loop, too far removed to be making a real difference.

So what then is the ambition of the Christ-follower?

Lead a quiet life
Attend to your own business
Work with your hands
Preach the gospel
Be pleasing to Him
In other words, don't stress yourself with fame, or getting and spending, always climbing, making more more more. Don't bother with being a busy-body or a gossip. Be creative; let God work through you. Tell others about Him. And live by faith.

It's so simple, almost too simple. Ambition isn't something far out there, some unabashed worldly success beyond our dreams, though that's where God may take us. It all goes back to the very reason God made man in the first place - to have someone to know Him.

And there's just not anything quaint about that.

Intersecting Faith & Life: The bulleted points above might sound too easy, too simple. And they can be. But when was the last time you made any or all of these your ambition? Pick one and practice it today, perhaps preaching the gospel to someone, perhaps seeking God's pleasure more than your own in any decisions you make.

Further Reading

What Motivates You?
Romans 15:20
2 Corinthians 5:9

[Judy Harder]

July 22, 2010

When I Grow Up
by Katherine Britton, Crosswalk.com News & Culture Editor

"Instead, you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, then we will live and also do this or that."
James 4:15


"You can be anything you want when you grow up, sweetie."

My parents profoundly ignored that phrase when I was growing up. I never heard them say those words, although the self-esteem trend was certainly making its way through the schools and Saturday morning cartoons. That's not to say that they told me the opposite or never encouraged my efforts. On the contrary, my mother carted me to iceskating practice, art lessons, piano lessons, debate club, and even soccer (for one pathetic season). She pushed me to do my best at whatever activity or homework assignment came my way, because it was a matter of "doing all things for the glory of God." And that's exactly why she and my father never told me I could be anything I wanted when I grew up.

My parents knew better.

Instead of the infinite-potential catchphrase, they would tell me things like, "If God wants you to be a concert pianist, then you will be," or "God gave you this talent for a reason, so we're going to cultivate it." That took the focus off of what I "wanted to be" and onto how God had gifted me. For that reason, my mother pushed me into writing tutoring even though I absolutely hated it at the time. I certainly had no intentions of being an editor when I grew up. Little did I know.

Can we really be anything we want when we grow up? The famous verses in Proverbs suggest otherwise. "In his heart a man plans his course," says Proverbs 16:9. Sure, I can make plans to be anything I want. "But the Lord determines [my] steps," the verse concludes. My parents understood this from their own crazy life stories. So they told me not about my endless potential, but about God's ability to take me to places unknown and undreamed of.

I laugh inwardly when people ask me where I want to be in five or ten years, because Heaven only knows where I actually will be. Besides, I'm still inexperienced in all this career and marriage stuff, and still figuring out my goals. How comforting it is to know that it's my responsibility to cultivate the little talents I have and let God decide where to take them.

Even at this point in my life, I can look back and see the long line of events, circumstances, character-building chances (oh boy!), and opportunities that I couldn't have orchestrated myself. I see now that I couldn't have been anything I wanted. Instead, I have become - and will become - whatever God wants me to be. After all, He knows me more intimately than I know myself. He knows exactly how I can serve His kingdom best. Yes, that's what I want to be when I grow up.

Intersecting Faith & Life: "If the Lord wills, then we will live and also do this or that." Are we aware just how fully dependent we are on God? Does this give us comfort? Or does it scare us that we control so little of our lives? Are you excited to see where God will take you, or afraid that His plan will be different from your own? It all comes down to a single question: are we willing to surrender our plans for His glory?

Further Reading

Psalm 119:35
Jeremiah 10:23
Can I 'Do All Things'? Examining Philippians 4:13
Why Potential Doesn't Equal Success