Okay, maybe not that kind of counter-culture. I have something a little different in mind.
When I think about counter-cultural stuff, I think about what Jesus was doing when he walked the earth. Jesus was not only counter-cultural—He was transcultural calling us to transform our culture rather than blending into it. How do we transform our culture? I think it begins with you and I on a personal level first.
As we struggle with our hurts, habits, and hang-ups, it is important to remember we are a work in progress. God doesn't expect you to be perfect; he knows you will make mistakes. Don’t be too hard on yourself.
Spiritual maturity is neither instantaneous nor automatic; it is a gradual, progressive development that will take the rest of your life as God helps us make healing choices.
A simple truth to remember is that God is far more interested in building our character than he is anything else. In other words, God is interested in who you are. For instance, he’s much more concerned about your character than your career, because you will take your character into eternity, but not your career. Our character is developed by walking in love.
Real love is counter-cultural.
The scripture says, “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…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 12:2 MSG).
You and I must make personal choices that are counter-cultural. These kinds of healing choices will protect us from other forces trying to mold us into their image. Instead of choices based on selfishness we need to choose based on love.
What decision in the near future do you need to make?
Will you make that decision from a motive of love?
I talk with many people who have a desire to be more spiritual and i think that’s a great thing but how does one go about that? The most spiritual people i know are those who serve others with love.
Loving servants pay attention to needs. Servants are always on the lookout for ways to help others. When they see a need, they seize the moment to meet it, just as scripture encourages us to do.
When God puts someone in need right in front of you, he is giving you the opportunity to grow spiritually. I think a theme that runs all throughout the scriptures is loving others. Loving others includes helping others and that should not be put at the bottom of our “things to do” list. It rise to the top!
We miss many occasions for helping others because we lack sensitivity and spontaneity. Great opportunities to serve never last long. They pass quickly, sometimes never to return again. You may only get one chance to serve that person, so take advantage of the moment.
John Wesley’s motto was: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can.”
That is greatness. That is a large part of spirituality. You can begin by looking for small tasks that no one else wants to do. Do these little things as if they were great things, because God is watching.
“Never tell your neighbors to wait until tomorrow if you can help them now” (Proverbs 3:28 TEV).
How spiritual are you? What way to measure that might be to how much you help others.
The picture over on the left reminds me of several good friends of mine who left Tucson, AZ and purchased a farm in the south. They were leaving the desert to become farmers, live off the land and live in Christian Community together. The change did not go very well. They didn’t have a clue what they were doing when it came to farming or living together! They wanted to have a deeper, more spiritual life but because of no understanding on how to do that they failed miserably. They HAD a farm but no longer.
Why do so many of us feel like we just have not grown spiritually very much? Are we just spiritually "thick-headed?" Are we just not "built" to be spiritual? Or have we simply not been taught what it means to be a student of Jesus?
Perhaps the church has placed so much emphasis on making converts that we have neglected to help people grow spiritually. We work hard to help people come to faith--to become a "Christian"-but can you identify any intentional efforts to help people become more like our Teacher?
Perhaps we have emphasized a wrong teaching about faith and its relationship to good deeds. Works has gotten a bad rap, while workless faith has grown more appealing-"cheap grace" as Bonhoeffer once stated.
Don’t get me wrong, i’m not against a change of venue in one’s life but it takes more than that to grow closer to God. I think it takes developing spiritual disciplines. Some of you are saying, oh, oh, I don’t like where this is going! Allow me to explain before you stop reading.
Discipline is defined as "training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior." Discipline is not part of our nature, but it is a natural component of the Christian life. In fact, almost nothing of any significance in our lives is ever accomplished without it. Spiritual disciplines can be described as those behaviors that augment our spiritual growth and enable us to grow to spiritual maturity. Stay with me on this!
My suggestion is to start with a very simple exercise. Go to a specific place where you can be alone and meditate for a period of time. You could also take a Bible or just a tablet or an iPad and record your thoughts, if you want. Relax, get away from the busyness of life for a while. I sit on my back patio in the evening with a nice cigar and pray. Whatever you decide to do, do it on a consistent basis. There are other “spiritual disciplines” of course. Feel free to add your suggestions.
Spiritual disciplines can provide us with a rewarding life. I hope you’ll consider it.
