The Problem with ‘Neutral’



http://billhebner.blogspot.com/2014/03/back-to-africa-thinking-outside-of-box.html‘Christianity is not the absence of sin, but the fullness of life’.  It is a modification of John 10:10, where Christ is quoted, ‘I have come to give you life and life abundantly’.   For years this has been my mantra, to understand the sovereignty of God and to get on with stepping out in faith. 

Recently I heard the catch phrase, ‘If you are saved you serve’.  And I must admit that I liked this… I liked it a lot.  Fullness of life is found in the reality of moments, in which we are present and choose to embrace those around us and reach beyond our circle to express love and support. Nothing more, nothing less than harvesting the opportunities before us on a moment by moment basis through serving with the gifts that God has given us. It is in this focus on others we find Joy, and not wanting to be cheesy, remembering that JOY is spelt Jesus, Others, and then You….

But what happens to us if we do not engage?  People do not go out and become axe murders. They do not seek out cats to run over (ok maybe a few).  No, they end up being neutral, not involved in evil or good,  Just Neutral, a place that is fatal to the quality of life and is destroying the next generation of faith.


CANCEROUS ACTIVITIES
Let me illustrate. Cancer is a collection of non-purposed neutral cells.  These cells do not have a defined purpose for wellbeing of the body but do occupy space within the body. In some instances this is not fatal but when these neutral cells’ growth is left unchecked they will interfere with healthy functions of the body and lead to physical death. 
My question for today is, ‘Are the activities we engage in as believers spiritually neutral?’  Are we focused on safe and fun instead of purpose and meaning?  Busying ourselves with hiding from evil and missing the opportunity to embrace righteousness and the higher call? This worries me. 
SELF QUIZ:

Let’s do a litmus test.  List the activities in your life that take the majority of your time.  Are they Positive, Negative, or NEUTRAL.  Some are listed below.
+  -  0     Fiction – Movies, books, internet sites. Total up the number of hours a week spent doing  this. (Teens will spend over 1500hrs this way a year.)

+  -  0     Sports -  Watching, reading stats.  Most sports enthusiasts will spend more on season tickets and clothing than on humanitarian or church related projects.

+  -  0    Leisure – Paul says that exercise is of some benefit but how much time do you allocate to this.

+  -  0     The Larger House -   It is your choice how and where you live, but your time can be stolen from you if keeping up the payments is arduous.

+  -  0     The Promotion -  Hard call as we strive to succeed in all we do. The question is are you seeking success in business over the call of the kingdom.   You may be called “great” but missing out on your call is not so great.

+  -  0     Prayer, Fasting, Meditation on the Word – Has this become a burden or do you seek out the time to recharge your spiritual batteries and commune with your maker…

+  -  0     Volunteering - One or two small activities a year are not going to swing the balance.  Pick a Kingdom minded charity to make a difference in.  It will make a difference in you as well.

+  -  0     Bible Study & Small Groups - Do not fall into the trap of always attending and never giving out.

http://billhebner.blogspot.com/2014/03/back-to-africa-thinking-outside-of-box.html
Click to Learn more
+  -  0     Coaching/Mentoring someone behind you in your spiritual journey.

Recommended Resource: www.livelife.123.org
Remember ‘Where your heart is your treasures will be.’
Take a day to step back, reflect, pray and reset your + -.

 

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