In the World, But not Of the World…
// September 9th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Youth Discussions
For the last few weeks in youth service we have been discussing the question of what it means to be in the world but not of the world.
During last weeks discussion we came up with some pretty good stuff! We realized that how we live our lives depends on relationship. If I am living my life in relationship to the world and it’s ideals, then my life is going to be filled with desire for the things that are a part of this world. Those desires are going to cause me to pursue things that really shouldn’t be a part of my life.
If, on the other hand, I live my life in relationship to God and His ideals, then my life is going to be filled with a desire for things that are a part of His Kingdom.
Too often the question we ask ourselves is, “How much of the world can I have and still be a Christian?” This question shows a heart that is more connected to the world than to God. This heart is focused on the world, looking into the things of the world and feeling like it is missing something. This is what it means to be living in relationship to the world, comparing what we do and don’t have with what the world has to offer.
On the other hand, a heart that is living in relationship to God is always looking into the things of God and wanting more, comparing what it does and doesn’t have with what God has to offer.
The statement, that we are in the world but not of the world implies that we are living on earth with our focus on the kingdom of God. We should be constantly comparing where we are in this world with the principles of the Kingdom of God.
As we were discussing this the other night the analogy of a Coast Guard rescue came to mind. There are people in the water and here is a guy trying to rescue them, he is connected by a line to the helicopter above. He is in the water with them, but his focus is not the water, his focus is the helicopter, the place of safety and rescue. All of the people in the water recognize that he is different, they see that he is connected to something greater than their situation, and when the realize that they need help they will turn to him.
We should be the same as we live in this world, we are connected by a lifeline to the Kingdom of God, our focus is not on what’s around us in the world, but on our source of safety and refuge. The world should see that we are “tied” to something else, we don’t care about what the world says we should have in order to be happy. Our focus isn’t on the bits and pieces of wreckage around us that offer a short time of safety or happiness, but on the one thing that can offer us security once and for all.
We need to make sure that our focus is on the things of God, instead of asking, “how much of the world can I have,” we need to be asking, “how much of God can I get?” I believe that just that small shift in thinking will make a huge difference in the impact that God will have on our lives and the lives of those around us.
