Reflections from your Pastor……
Have you ever noticed how so often we focus on little things that have no significant impact or importance on the thing at hand? Much ado about nothing basically. Sometimes this happens in our faith practice; that we take issue with something that ultimately has nothing to do with our salvation or who we profess to worship? We become passionate about or upset about things that really don’t matter. We sweat the petty things and squawk loudly about our own personal dislikes, all the while missing the point of Jesus, worship, faith and God’s grace. I wonder why we do that? Perhaps it is because we have been trained to view faith and a relationship with Jesus as “personal”. And if it is personal, then it is about ME. Like my favorite radio station: WIIFM (what’s in it for me?) While indeed our relationship with God is a personal matter, it is lived out in a public way. Our faith is part of who we are and is visible for others to observe. When we complain to others about this dislike or that relatively small matter, we begin scratching away at the foundation of their faith. Our complaining boosts the tendency for them to examine the petty things in their life that they are displeased with and then they catch the complaining virus. I’m not saying that we should never seek to change that which is bothering us; on the contrary. The Reformation was built on the premise that something was wrong. What I am saying is that we need to discern when we recognize something that bothers us. Is it important to salvation? Does it deny who Jesus is? Is it harming another’s chance at growing in Christ? Or is it simply a pet peeve of my own making? Am I hanging on to something that is not allowing me to move forward in Christ? Re-directing our focus is a continual process. Jesus does it throughout the scripture. He does it for the disciples and for us, letting us know that we have set our minds on earthly things, not divine things. The next time you feel that irritation well up inside you, ask yourself this; if this thing were to be changed, will I become closer to Jesus? Will my faith grow stronger? Because if the answer is no, chances are, we are missing the point of Jesus message. Let us regain our focus; on the cross, on the Christ and on following where He leads.