Time to Engage
Life is not a "Spectator Sport." If we choose to engage or if we choose not to engage, in reality we are engaged either way. Whether we are active or passive, we choose our outcomes by our choice of action. This may sound simple, but the outcomes are profound. On many occasions I have thought "I just am not going there. Let someone else deal with that. My plate is full," only to find later that my life is greatly impacted by the things where I decided to not engage and I relegated the issue to someone else (the other guy). Our culture is replete with example after example where we did not act and it has come back to bite us.
Our lives cannot be defined just as a religious experience -- if that were true, life would be easy. There would be no relationship required, just follow the rules. Life is always and completely relational. We are where the dynamics of Conduct and Behavior that we have chosen to live our lives by has brought us. Life is not about religious regulations and our particular compliance, life is rather about the living dynamics that we have chosen to live our lives by, and the corresponding guaranteed outcomes that we have chosen. Dynamics make up an interactive system that involves competing and conflicting forces. The choices that we select take us to a known, predetermined outcome that is based entirely on the inertia that is contained in our choice. The outcome is a known product of the choice we make. No mystery involved.
Why is this important? Our culture continues to become what our chosen Dynamics have determined acceptable for it to be. There are many things that I believe to be very bad for humanity and for our society that I have not actively taken a stand to share my beliefs and my convictions and why I believe what I believe with my friends, my neighbors, my co-workers, and those with whom I am on this journey called "life." I hope and I pray they will be alright, but let someone else tell them the details. I am all good to tell them about the goodness of my God and about all of His benefits and provisions, but let's stay away from the errant conduct and behavior so clearly occurring in their lives and in mine.
A special Friend shared with me what the Holy Spirit God was saying to him about our influence in the teaching of Christ about salt (Matthew 5:13):
"You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless."
Another translations says:
13 "Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.
14-16 “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."
I fully believe this is what is happening in society and in our culture. We know decency and respect are Kingdom teachings that bring life, and yet we allow behavior that is so contrary to those standards to go unchecked. That just may be the issue. Humanity is searching for the standards and not finding them and have decided there are no standards. Even a child knows right and wrong, but seeks confirmation. When a child is considering doing something they know they should not, they look to their parents for direction before acting. A nod yes or a "no look" seals the deal. Have we failed to provide the parental and societal guidance necessary for present day members of society to stand up to the false and errant leadership now dominating our headlines? This is fundamental. This is not sophisticated, hard to understand values. This is basic. Where has our voice been, providing the input necessary to create a society where we provide the salt of our God's flavors and the light of His wisdom to create a society and culture where we disagree without being disagreeable, and where we allow expression but provide guidance with unconditional love and without condemnation?
This is our mandate. We are not to be silent. We are to be the visible and audible expression of our Father's love and of His will. The Kingdom of Darkness is doing everything within its power to destroy our world and all of humanity. They are defeated foes and they have already lost. In their madness, they are trying to take all they can with them. Let us display and confess the matchless, immeasurable love of our Creator and our Designer and tell of His plans for good for all of humanity. We cannot abandon our purpose and our calling. We must participate in every way possible.
May the Holy Spirit God stir up the gifts that are within each of us to break the chains of bondage and slavery over humanity, and to lead all to the freedom from the tyranny and the oppression of the Kingdom of Darkness. Our God reigns.
