It’s not so much what you that’s important; it’s who you are in relationship with that matters.
I remember hearing Len Sweet say that in 2006 and I am still unpacking it all. And living it.
In a previous post, I asked the question, “What do you do when your worldview crumbles.” I referenced the story in I Samuel when the Israelites brought the ark – the place where the presence of God resided at the time – into battle. The Philistines were at first afraid but turned that fear into a do-or-die mentality. The Israelites believed with the ark at their side, they couldn’t lose. Score one for the Philistines. Add in a crushing defeat for the Israelites.
We all build our lives on something, or even someone. But what happens when that thing or person leaves or goes away. Or what happens when what we have believed is proven wrong. Or experience calls it into question.
Len’s statement is the place for us to start. Our knowledge-base will change as our world unfolds. Whether we like to admit it or not, our understanding of God, the scriptures, and the world is affected by the way life unfolds for us: the loss of a loved one, a tragic event in life, or an experience we cannot explain. We see the world through a different lens. When the lens changes, the interoperation does as well.Continue Reading …