There's a Box

By: Ben Davis   Posted: 6/22/2007 10:36:38 PM

 

One time a good friend of mine told me that there were three types of attitudes when given a certain project, goal, etc. The first are the ones who look at the situation and decide that there is only one way to tackle it, using “what has been done before” as their template. These are folks who think “ inside the box ”. The next type are the ones who, given a certain situation, do everything they can to not do things the way they've been done before. In fact, they may do things different just for the sake of being different. These are those who think “ outside the box ”. Finally, there is a third type. These are the folks who look at a given situation, and as they try to tackle what's at hand, have no pre-conceived notions of the “right way” to do things, nor do they make it their goal to simply “do it differently” just for the sake of being unique. These are the folks with the attitude of , “Wait, THERE'S A BOX?!”

This got me to thinking: how do I approach my walk with God, my attitude of worship, my service to others, my being “salt and light” to the world? If I'm honest, movement between all three “box attitudes” happens. There are things about the issues of faith that, whether it's because of my spiritual upbringing, books I've read, whatever, I tend to treat like any other way is “wrong” or “weird”. At other times I just want to be the rebel and approach a faith issue in a new way, just for the sake of “newness”. What I strive for in my walk with God, though, is an attitude of, “there's a box?”, where I am open to whatever God wants to do, however He wants to do it.

So, do you approach God in a way that says that He has to do things in a certain way? Do you think all the “old ways of doing things” are pointless and out-of-date? Or, do you try to be open to whatever God is up to, whether it is what you are used to...or not? For what its worth…

Last Modified: 6/22/2007 10:36:38 PM   Comments: (4)

Worship as Life, part 1

By: Ben Davis   Posted: 6/22/2007 10:02:03 PM

 

And now for something completely different…(well, as far as “The Noise” is concerned): for the next few weeks, this little section of The Messenger will focus on Romans 12:1-2, which challenges us to make our whole lives an act of worship. Each week, this article will take a bit of this passage and enter into a conversation with you...one that I hope is beneficial! Without further delay, here is our passage for the discussion, in its entirety:

1 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life--your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life--and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. 2 Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. (Romans 12:-12, The Message )

Wow, living our whole life as worship (not just Sunday morning, singing songs at camp, etc.). Not an easy task, but it is our command nevertheless. So, this week, look again at the above passage, and next week we'll begin the conversation. For what its worth…

Last Modified: 6/22/2007 10:04:38 PM   Comments: (4)