Inside Out Living

As I read in the Gospel of Mark today, I was struck by how Jesus just doesn't fit into our preconceived notions of how the Son of God should behave. In Mark 11, he curses and fig tree and fights with the merchants who were just trying to do their job by keeping the economy of Jerusalem alive and well. Certainly not activities that many of us would expect a modern day religious leader or pastor to do. But Jesus didn't worry about our expectations or our social norms. He knew the Father intimately and lived according to the purpose that the Father sent Him with, and when that purpose collided with the social norms and religious leaders of the day, it became obvious that Jesus was not about the status quo.

I am feeling quite convicted by these thoughts today as I sit in my warm comfortable house and type on my nice new laptop. Why do I get to live this life while so many others are suffering and even dying for holding the same beliefs that I am. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the many blessings that I have and I know that it is only by the grace of God that I have any of it. It isn't that I am worthy, because I am not.

Not to be cliche, but the old question of What Would Jesus Do, still rings true. I have to constantly evaluate my own life and what I am living for. How do I spend my time, money, resources. If people looked at my calendar and checkbook would they see that I value what I say I value, or would they think I valued comfort, stuff, and entertainment? It is so easy to live selfishly and live with enough religion that I feel good about my life. That isn't what it is about, life is about living each day in a sacrificial way towards those that God has called me into relationships with (Family, church, friends, coworkers, community). Every relationship is an opportunity to serve, sacrifice, and love and thereby give glory to God.