CHAOS
in our families, our communities, our country

CHAOS
and who’s loving it? Who’s laughing?
I’ll give you a clue: it is not God.

We are all different, look at things through different lenses, and have had different experiences. How are we to interact? How are we to treat each other respectfully. I must admit to recent failures in this area. So I’m starting this reflection with me: my heart, my soul, my sins.

A recent sermon-in-a-sentence: “Truth-filled conversations require humility in the Lord.” (Klayton Korver)

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:1-6a, NIV)

It starts with humility. Truth is revealed by the Holy Spirit.

• But what truth am I not ready to hear?
  I believe I am right, that my reactions are the real deal.
• What truths am I looking for as I read God’s words?
  Do I only see what I want to see?
• Do I humble myself before the Lord Jesus Christ? After all, He is the creator, King, and Lord of all.
  Do I listen to the Spirit’s whispers even if they are not what I want to hear and understand? Do I allow Spirit-led transformation in my heart, soul, body, and way of living?
• Am I jealous? Who has what I do not? Whose life looks better than mine? What do they have that I want?
  Do my goals come out of my jealousy or my humility? What picture of life am I asking God to match, my picture or His?

For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings? What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. (2 Corinthians 3:4-6, NIV)

• In my world, am I discontented with my life, with my family, with my circumstances, with my job, with my community, with my country every single day?
  • Can I trust, really trust, that God holds the whole world in his hands?
  • Can I ever be separated from God’s love? Can I cast all my care on the Lord?

No, not without Holy Spirit help. And the HS lives in me. He lives in all who believe. We are His holy temple today. Let us come near to each other as though we are approaching the temple building that contains the Holy of Holies.

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. (James 3:16-18, NIV)