When asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus replied that it is to love God with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul, and all your strength...and oh, by the way, connected to that is a second command to love your neighbor as yourself.
The words "commandment", "love", and "all" jump off the page at me. God commands for clarity and for benefit. He is the master architect. He knows exactly how He made you and the purposes for which He placed you on the spot of earth at this time in history. His commands are part and parcel of the architect's blue print. When you and I choose NOT to follow the design (substituting cheap/unworthy building materials, not showing up for work, or cutting a few corners to save time or money) we jeopardize the integrity and mute the beauty of the building.
This is not about performance ratings. It is about being connected in an alive, passionate, "all in" relationship with the One who designed us to run with Him. Of course, there will be times as budding craftsmen we will find that we failed to stick to the blue prints (disobey the commands). By God's grace, rather than fire us, He pulls us to the side, points out the error and shows us once again the perfect design that we are to follow: love God with ALL that we are. If we fail to love our neighbor, we will find that we have also failed to love God.
When I look at the decreasing impact the body of Christ has had on society over recent years and decades, I think that we have failed to keep the MAIN thing the MAIN thing. We have settled into a 90% mode:"No one is perfect. ""I'm doing pretty good as compared to others.""I'm doing a lot better than when I was 50%.""I'm just a drop in the ocean, how I live in the details of my life cannot matter."
When I look at my own life and see the limited impact I have had on people that have been within my sphere of influence, I suspect that I often have been a 90% er, too.
2017 is here already.
If you and I continue being lukewarm, being casual about God and about the desperate shape our neighbors, community, nation, and world are in... this will not turn out well.
On the other hand, if I heed the words of Jesus and you do as well, 2017 is going to be the beginning of something good! Keep checking the blueprint, keep listening to our Master Builder as He instructs and trains, keep the MAIN thing the Main thing!
