Expecting the Best

“But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the glad tidings (the Gospel), so we speak not to please men but to please God, Who tests our hearts [expecting them to be approved].” 1 Thessalonians 2:4 (emphasis mine)

“Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].” 1 Corinthians 13:7 (emphasis mine)

What is my expectation of people? How can I knowing humanity (after all I am a member of it) believe the best of them? Even Proverbs 20:6 brings up the lack of faithfulness among mankind.  So then, how do I deal with the reality of humanity and still have the right expectation? This is what I asked God and He showed me this is done by looking for and focusing on the good things in people.

The devil is the accuser of the brethren, the fault finder, but God nurtures the good things in us, expects the best from us, and leads us to repentance with His loving-goodness.

 How do I expect the best from people? By seeing how God does this with me.  It is critical to know how God thinks about a matter, because until I accept His way of thinking about it and believe it as truth and receive it from Him I can’t think that way or behave that way toward others. I can only give to others what I, myself, have first received from God.

And because God expects the best from me, I expect the best from others and am, as 1 Corinthians says, ever ready to believe the best of every person.  And what if they fail? Then I pray for them, and expect God to work on their behalf while keeping my focus on the good things I see in them. Admittedly, seeing the best in people requires more searching with some than with others but that in itself is an important point. I should be aggressively looking for the good.

Faults we all have in abundance, and the world and devil are quick to point them out to us often, but as a Christian I should be a treasure seeker, not a fault finder.

I’m not saying that we should ignore destructive behaviors we see others engaged in or never offer loving correction when needed, certainly God does neither, but what I am saying is that while sometimes it is necessary to warn others of sinful behavior , we must always cherish and look for the good qualities in people, nurture those, and delight in even their smallest steps of progress. 

I know for certain that God does all that with me. While I tend to focus on my faults and failures, He is delighted with me and thrilled at my progress in the work He is doing to mold me in the image of His Son.  He never focuses on my failures, reminds me of them, or berates me for them. And I very much want to be like God.

As one, who in the natural, would be a fault finder, I am greatly challenged to give up my carnal way of looking at myself and other people and instead be a treasure seeker, like my Father.

Oh God, thank you for revealing this to me. We both know I have no power to change on my own and unless You do this work, unless You help me, I will stay the same. I don’t want that, God! I lay down my way and repent of my carnal thinking. Please change me, Holy Spirit and thank You so much for challenging me.

Internally vs Eternally Minded

What does it mean to be eternally minded? Many Christians would say that this means you think of heaven and of the second coming and meeting Jesus in the air, and I wouldn’t disagree this is true in part, but the danger I have witnessed from this interpretation of being “eternally minded” is that we often become oblivious to the responsibility and urgency of building God’s kingdom where we are at and instead unintentionally live very self-serving lives while we wait for the day Jesus returns.   I would like to add to the interpretation of eternal mindedness to include also being aware of what your actions now, what your choices now mean for eternity. It means asking questions such as, “Does this have eternal value?” or “Is this the best use of my resources and my life in light of eternity?” Jesus says this to Peter and I believe He is still saying it to us today:

“And Jesus answered him, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:17-19 ESV

The gates of hell shall not prevail. We must be mindful of our responsibility to gain ground for God’s kingdom wherever we go. We gain ground and the forces of darkness cannot withstand us. Being eternally minded is part of aggressive Christianity.  It also means as we wage war on this earth we are mindful for what and for Whom we are fighting for, and Whom the battle belongs to.  

In war it is incredibly important to know and have deep conviction about what you are fighting for. In the American Revolution, for example, though the Americans were vastly outnumbered and out gunned their convictions , their purpose was much stronger than their enemies and it was what kept their resolve during the hardest of times. It wasn’t what won them the war, but it is what kept them from quitting during it.

Paul often talks of keeping his mind set, and remembering the reward that lies before him.  I believe if you are internally minded you only think of the battle you are currently engaged in, the hardness of it, the price of it, but if you are eternally minded you think of the  eternal reward that lies before you.  Moses was a great example of this. The Bible says this about him:

“[Aroused] by faith Moses, when he had grown to maturity and become great, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, Because he preferred to share the oppression [suffer the hardships] and bear the shame of the people of God rather than to have the fleeting enjoyment of a sinful life. considered the contempt and abuse and shame [borne for] the Christ (the Messiah Who was to come) to be greater wealth than all the treasures of Egypt, for he looked forward and away to the reward (recompense). [Motivated] by faith he left Egypt behind him, being unawed and undismayed by the wrath of the king; for he never flinched but held staunchly to his purpose and endured steadfastly as one who gazed on Him Who is invisible.” Hebrews 11:24-27

Moses was definitely eternally minded.

There is much to be said about how we wage war against the enemy and build the kingdom of God, and the methods aren’t natural at all. For me, I have learned that loving people, praying about everything, trusting God, and taking the time to meditate on His word and spend time in His presence have been battles, I am sure as I grow in the Lord that there will be new levels and I know there is so much I don’t know, but for now, my challenge is this; to be eternally minded.

Aggressive VS Passive Christianity

“And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time, the kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize—a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion].” Matthew 11:12

There is nothing passive about Christianity. Christ was never passive and He tells us that only aggressive or violent people will have a part in the kingdom of heaven. What does that mean? That means if I want God in my life, if I want His will done, and if I want to establish His kingdom on this earth I cannot be passive. I can’t just float through life going with whatever current is flowing.

 I cannot be passive in seeking God and in my prayer life, I cannot be passive in my love walk, I cannot be passive in my spiritual growth. Jesus tells us to ask and to keep on asking. It is dangerous to be passive! Why do I say that?

“Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.”  1 Peter 5:8

Firstly, because we have an enemy and there is a war going on. Passive people do not survive in wars. Secondly, because love isn’t passive. If it is it isn’t love. God wants to be sought passionately. He deserves this, He inspires this.

And that is why I believe the first thing I must be aggressive about is seeking God. I can’t seek God one time, say one prayer, and go on my merry way. No, God says that if we seek Him with all our whole hearts THEN we will find Him. Every day I have to seek Him, every day I have to meditate on the Word, speak the Word, and aggressively cast down every vain imagination that would exalt itself against the knowledge of God.  Every day I have to aggressively and with my whole heart seek God and violently cut off all that hinders me from Him. I must insist that God be involved in EVERY area of my life. And  I must set aside time to wait on Him and spend time with Him. If I don’t seek God like the Vital Necessity He is to me I will not find Him.

Another thing that I have to be aggressive about is loving people. Passive Christianity says I will do something if the perfect opportunity presents itself, but aggressive Christianity looks for, prays for, and when possible makes opportunities to demonstrate love. Who can I give to? Am I looking for people to be good to? What kind thing or word of encouragement can I offer? I must look for these thing on purpose. Aggressive Christianity is done on purpose!

I must also be aggressive in being uncompromisingly righteous. Of course I will never do everything perfectly, but I will be quick to repent, sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading, and prompt to obey.  Delayed obedience is disobedience.

Really God has shown me that passive Christianity is nothing more than lazy Christianity. It’s saying, “Well, here I am God if You want to spend time with me then You know where I live. If You want me to obey You and what You said in Your Word than You need to create the perfect circumstances for me to do that. If You want me to love people than give me a sign.”

It grieves my heart knowing that I have been as guilty as anyone of this. God doesn’t serve me, I serve Him, and He has given me His word not only filled with wonderful promises but urgent mandates. And it is way past time that I start acting like it. That is my challenge.