There is no separation of the
practicing of our faith and the everyday matters we all have to
attend to. Our Sunday best should be a reflection of our work week
and daily routine. Because anything less is a depreciation of Christ.
But when we exalt the name of Jesus as
the name above all names, then we will fulfill this goal - “Whatever
you do, do in the name of Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." ~Colossians 3:17
You see that the ‘whatever we do’
is based on a foundation of Jesus. But it is the last part that makes
it difficult. It is doing the right thing with thankfulness in our
hearts. We could do the right thing begrudgingly, and we often do.
But this practice makes us no better than the ascetic, who punishes
his body thinking it will please God.
This is foolish thinking, as anybody
who has been a parent for more than 5 minutes can attest. It works
something like this. We become teenagers and come to certain
conclusions about our parent’s rules and regulations. We assure
ourselves that when we have children, it will be different. Our rules
won’t seem arbitrary and we’ll be so much fairer and we won’t
lack common sense.
(Not that I ever thought this about my
parents.)
We assume our children will happily
agree to every rule or chore we assign because, after all, they have
parents who have learned from the misdirected reign of tyranny of the
previous administration. So then we are shocked when our children
balk at our level-headed judgments. How can they not be dancing while
fulfilling their duty to obey their parents? Why are their faces
filled with scowls and disbelief?
They may obey, but they will show they
are not happy about it. And I don’t know about you, but as a Dad,
this bothers me. I don’t see myself as being unfair. It’s not as
if my children are growing up on a farm or living in a factory. Why
can’t their attitudes match the many blessings they have been
given?
And then I wonder if my Heavenly Father
is asking the same thing of us.
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