ETERNAL AND PRACTICAL
Is it possible to have an eternal perspective, yet be practical in your dealings? Often, Christians are at a loss to understand how to balance their eternal identity with their earthly existence. Consequently, their dealings with people, jobs, material possessions and so on end up being too simplistic. In fact Jesus commented, “For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light” (Luke 16:8). When we consider Jesus who was the most eternal, being God Himself, yet was also amazingly practical in his dealings with people, a few principles emerge.
- Respond to a need: When his mother requested Jesus to intervene during an earthly crisis with a very material need- one of providing wine during a wedding, Jesus did not let his identity as God get in the way of doing good. He could have extrapolated and said something like, ‘there is a real possibility that someone might drink too much of the wine that I create and get drunk’ or ‘let them understand that having wine is not the end-all for life.’ Yet, instead of launching his ministry with a signature miracle like raising someone who died, he miraculously made some of the best wine available for a wedding- a very material need! This example also brings us to the next principle.
- Not being limited by man-made rules: the Pharisees hated Jesus because he refused to follow the limitations and rules they had imposed on society. And so Jesus goes ahead and heals on a Sabbath, dispenses with the ceremonial cleansing that Pharisees required, touches lepers and helps both women and Samaritans, bucking the accepted norms of that time. It is easy to condemn the Pharisees, but Christians today in their own circles are often no different, mandating that all who are part of their group follow the worldly patterns they have laid out for various aspects of one’s life including who to marry, what job to take, where to work, what to eat and drink and so on. Jesus didn’t allow rules to limit him and neither should a Christian who is Spirit-led be subject to man-made rules.
- Using your talents: Every person is unique and we are reminded that we have been fashioned in our mothers’ wombs by the finger of God, who in his foresight has pre-planned our days and how our talents in this world are to be used. At times, spiritualizing our talents inappropriately prevents us from using them in a manner that God wants us to live our lives. In the story of the talents (Matthew 25), all three servants recognized the ownership of God over the gold they had been entrusted with. The first two servants did not unduly spiritualize the situation, but rather put their money to work and doubled their material possessions, bringing it back to the master and earned his appreciation. The last servant was more focused on how God would react to his money and his effort and that was his precise mistake. If God has given you a talent or a passion or an interest or opportunities, first recognize that they are God-given and to be put to use. Second, rather than unduly spiritualizing the situation and saying for example, that God would want your talent to be used only in a ‘Christian’ institution or so on; put it to use where there is an opportunity and where God leads you and make a difference.
From the One who was most eternal, we also learn to be most practical.
