Intentional Living vs. Spontaneous Living
October 16th 2009 -
As I have been thinking about the health of our city, I can’t help but process my thoughts through my own personal experience. My personal experience is not enough, yet I have you to balance with your experiences.
Most of you who are reading this blog know that I am a teaching pastor in a city church. My heart loves this great city, and I am raising my family to live, work, play, and serve in it for generations to come. Here is my point — let’s “intentionally live” here.
Let’s not just exist in this place but joyously pursue life here. Let me give you an illustration and then form a conversation out of it. I have witnessed over the last few weeks how people have maneuvered their lives and friendships around two very important things: Ravens Football and the “Office Wedding”. People have purchased special clothes, food, decorations, invitations, beverages, and new TV’s for the occasion. They started weeks ahead with phone calls, emails, text messages, Facebook causes, etc… There were reminders sent out and jobs assigned to insure that the event was perfect. No one coming to the party knew what the outcome was going to be. Would the Ravens win? Would the Office Wedding actually happen without a major blow up? Yet, the party was planned as if it was going to turn out for the best for those throwing the party.
Now I need to make my point clear. We know how to prepare for an event. Get ten people with the same likes and passions in the room and the voices will rise and laughter (or anger) will erupt. How do we take this type of intentionality into each day? Days full of laundry, house cleaning, grocery runs, homework, bringing work home, leaking roofs, paying bills, soccer practice, teachers’ conferences, business travel, job hunting, dating, dating your spouse, time with kids, etc… I don’t have all the answers, yet I want to figure this out.
We are so wrapped up in our own lives. This is not necessarily all bad. Yet, if we are going to make progress in our city, we are going to need to be intentional in our time with God and each other. I would like to begin a discussion on this from two opposite perspectives. The first scenario is from a Christian (God- Focused) and the second is from a Non-Christian (anti-theist/not necessarily an athiest).
Scenario #1: A friend of mine recently engaged in a theological conversation with another friend. They were wrestling with some of the mysteries of the Bible. One of them spent 6 hours in a three-day period studying to know better how to engage the opposing view found in his Christian friend. In the meantime, they both spent no time discussing the mysteries with any of their non-Christian friends. No time for them.
Scenario #2: Another friend of mine is a non-Christian and is most evenings sitting at a pub in our neighborhood. He doesn’t believe in a God and can’t understand how anyone can believe the Bible. He spends hours talking about his disdain for God with other people who disdain God.
What would happen if we kept a mutual love for one another, and the people from scenario #1 and #2 began spending time with each other? Yes, they would have different opinions. Yes, someone might be insulted. Yes, it’s not easy! That’s why people who think alike hang out with only each other.
Look at where it’s gotten us. Can we “intentionally” try something different? We might be shocked by the results.
To Be Continued…
Grace and Peace.