What are you willing to sacrifice for something YOU want?
What are you willing to sacrifice to help someone else out?
What are you willing to sacrifice because you love God?
In all three instances it boils down to our personal values and priorities. Whether consciously or not, when we decide just how far we will go, or what is the greatest sacrifice we are willing to make, we are evaluating and proclaiming our priorities in life.
Which is the greater priority?
Body or soul?
Reputation or character?
Desires or duty?
Pleasure or purity?
Rights or responsibilities?
My will or God's will?
Self or others?
Circumstances or commands?
Temporal or eternal?
Sight or faith?
Our actions everyday answer these questions. The choices and decisions we make declare what is important to us, no matter what our mouth may say. I don't know about you all, but man do I have a long way to go in this area!
So I have a question. How do we change our values? Do we just spend more time in the Word and prayer, and let the Holy Spirit do the work? Or do we consciously make a choice to stop valuing "X" so much and value "Y" instead? Or do we just let outside forces (friends, media, circumstances) dictate our values?
What are your thoughts? I'm interested....
19 comments:
This is a GREAT column.
First, I love that you put "reputation or character" on the list. I think this is a real problem for many of us Christians. So often, in the name of "guarding our testimony" or "avoiding the appearance of evil," we are really just protecting our reputation at the expense of our character, which, time and again, is something that Jesus lambasted the religious establishment of Israel for doing.
I also know that in my life, particularly in the last couple years, I have been guilty of letting circumstances, rather than the commands of God, be the determining factor in decisions I have made, and it has proven costly.
Lastly, I think the answer is to continuously take our sin to the cross and to leave it there. Practically speaking, that involves prayer, confession, and repentance. Does this mean we don't actually try to change our behaviour? No, but it does mean that, rather than succumb to "just try harder" religion, which is no different than Christ-less religion, we ask the Spirit inside us to guide, rebuke, instruct, and encourage us, and we step out on faith, believing that He will do this.
Good post, great questions!
I think it's a concious choice to change my values, and to know where to place them I study the Word. That way I know what is best and required, I know what is wrong and if I don't know, I pray about it. And all of that is a choice only I can make.
I don't like the "sheep"-mentality. It often leads to the way of the world, the way that seems right unto men. And we know where that leads!:-)
Luv ya!
God's Grace.
you honestly and openly seek God's will.
He is the one that can mold you
I would pray for Jesus's way to be in me daily. Follow what the spirit speaks as I make choices by prayers.
There are times my choices I made were ridiculous, it turns up to be miracle solutions.
Yet, to listen for the voice in us clearly, I personally feel the need to spend quiet time with the Lord daily.
The first name of the Devil is not 'thief' or 'murderer', even though he steals & murders. His first name is Satan, which is Hebrew for "Prosecutor at law" or "accuser".
Thus, the Devil accuses to ruin life daily. Yet we have Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus for us, His shalom peace will lead us to wholeness, prosperity, peace & all your needs.
[begin opinion] One of the most important aspects of love is that we learn to value what is important to the one we love as much more than we value those things that are important to us. If we love God then we choose to place more importance on what the scripture records as being important to Him. Values are a choice and we determine how we choose them, reasonably or emotionally but values alone should not dictate our decisions. We must allow for His Spirit to guide us as well.
Great post!
[/end of opinion]
;-)
I appreciate everyone's input. You all have added some great thoughts here.
Kristi, great questions, great thoughts, and a great struggle we all deal with
I can only offer what I try to do, because i'm not sure there is a clear cut step by step program to alter our values.
You asked if we sit back and wait for God to change us or if we actively make an effort to change on our own. I say both. Any significant change can't come just by our hands, but at the same time I believe God wants me to use the oppotunities He has given me to do what He has called me to do. So when we recognize the choice to choose one thing over the other, when we aknowledge that we do have that ability, we concsioulsy make a choice. But those opportunites seem to be few and far between in my life because I often choose before I even know that I have picked "x" over "y", so all the time I pray, I ask God to change me, I ask Him to show me those choices, to change my heart to value what He values, and I realize that I will mess up a lot along the way, but He is bigger than me, and if I am willing, He will make changes in me, He will open my eyes to see those opportunites to choose what is better. So that is me, and my thoughts.
Thanks for making me think about this.
I'm going to comment first then read other peoples thoughts.
I'm going to say it's a lot of A and a bit of B. Don't let C dictate at all. Thats what Satan wants. The more worldly you are the more anti-God you become. Though it is easier said than done to resist the worldly influences.
Take for example my current situation. I've applied to and visited a seminary I'd like to attend but it is half a country away from my kids. How will it affect us not seeing each other regularly? Do I trust that God will work it out so my kids do not feel abandoned by me? Five years ago my faith was not strong and I might have caved in to the pressure. But I do trust Him that this is the path He wants me to follow.
It's definitely not easy.
Kristi, why should I sacrifice at all? Me, as a Christian, why does it matter if I sacrifice anything? I have believed in Christ, I WILL go to heaven, we both believe nothing can change this fact. So why on earth should I not continue in the obviously sinful relationship that I am in, and why ever should I start reading the Scriptures again?
This is partly hypothetical, partly real. How would you answer this if it was asked you? How would you answer it if I was to ask you, like I just did?
Thank you all for your great thoughts!
Adam, to your question, I would answer with this,
"I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living SACRIFICE, holy, acceptable unto God, WHICH IS YOUR REASONABLE SERVICE." Romans 12:1
It's only reasonable to WANT to sacrifice after all that Jesus Christ went through to save us. No, we don't HAVE to, but any Christian who truly understands the amazing grace of God would only deem it reasonable to then be a living sacrifice for their Savior.
Wow great thoughts and questions Kristi.
Oh man do I have a long way to go in this area too!
I think we can change our values certainly by spending more time with God in the Word and prayer, and as a result of that, we'll make the right choice according to God's will (as we are close to Him). No no no, I don't think we should let outside forces dictate our values. Like Paul said in Romans 12:2 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
You have asked some hard questions, Kristi.
Spending more time studying the Word and in prayers sounds a good way to go.
God Bless
Matthew
This is the type of question we need to be asking ourselves a lot. There are no clear cut answers in your list. But there are clear cut answers on some things in the bible. Take for example the ten commandments. Do not steal.- Do we cheat on our taxes? Do we take things home from work?
It's getting harder to watch network television. If I had kids, the major networks would not be on at all. Cable at least has some decent channels.
What about sex before marriage? It's a problem for younger people-but it is getting to be a problem for older people who divorce or their spouse dies. There are clear cut answers there.
I think we have to work on it and ask the Holy Spirit to help us. And we have to know that we will all sin. That is why we need Jesus.
Thanks for the thought provoking question.
This is a very good post, Kristi!
I've a very looooong way to go in this area.
I need to spend more time with our Lord. Read His Word. Be more sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Just have a closer walk and communion with our Heavenly Father.
Kristi,
Yes, it may be reasonable. But there are a lot of things that I do that are not reasonable, and I KNOW are not reasonable.
So you're telling me the only reason you can give me as to why I SHOULD obey after, or sacrifice after, is because it is reasonable to do so?
Just curious.
awaiting the hope,
Adam
That it is reasonable is not the only reason to obey after salvation, no.
God commands us to.
Grace teaches us to.
Rewards motivate us to.
The Holy Spirit urges us to.
Other believers encourage us to.
The Bible prepares us to.
... just for starters! =)
Our sacrifice is, in my eyes, the same as God commanding us to. God commands us to obey His commandments. See the similarities.
I'm not sure what you mean by 'grace teaching us'. Perhaps you are using 'grace' differently than what I am momentarily thinking.
Regarding rewards. Isn't that somewhat selfish? Sacrifice for the reward? That is like saying the only reason you feed the poor is because you get paid to do it.
The Holy Spirit urging us to would fall under God commanding us to. Actually, I see the Holy Spirit as a more dominating figure than the Father. I do believe the Spirit is that 'consuming fire' that is spoken of. So, His 'urging' would at least be along the same lines as the Father's command.
Screw other believers. ;)
And the bible preparing us to sacrifice doesn't necessarily give reason as to why we should sacrifice. A manual on how to do a job isn't reason why you do the job.
When I say "Grace teaches us to" I'm referring to Titus 2:11,12: "For the GRACE of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, TEACHING US that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world."
The more we learn about God's grace and understand all of it's ramifications, the more it teaches us to live for God by grace after we've been saved by grace.
Yes, living for God just because of rewards is somewhat selfish. But, God is the One Who put it in the Bible for motivation. Maybe He knew that we humans needed an "earthly" motivation since we sometimes feel so detatched from all things heavenly.
Paul spoke often of fighting the good fight, and therefore receiving a crown. It's exciting. It's like an extra. Yes, living for God is something we WANT to do because we love Him so much, AND ON TOP OF THAT, we get rewarded for it!!! Can't beat that.
I think that final thought is the key. We live for God because we WANT to, the crowns are extra. When we place the crowns as the object of our affection, we have missed the mark. God should always be the reason for our obedience, not the crowns He provides.
I like your use of 'grace teaching'. Good call.
But I think overall, there is still actually no absolute reason as to why the Christian must sacrifice. All of these seem like reasons as to why she SHOULD, but not MUST.
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