Toward a defintion of self

Brennan Manning once shared these insightful words:

Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion.

Let's engage what Manning is chasing after in his statement for a brief moment. What are you doing for God? Seriously, make a list in your mind or on a sheet of paper. Mentally walk through the exercise and then return to this post...

Welcome back.

Now as you were carefully thinking through those things you do for God what were the whisperings you began to hear?

I can tell you what I heard:

"...you're not good enough, this guy has written a book, you didn't share the gospel with that guy at the baseball game... consider so-and-so their door is always open and they live a life completely given over to any and all who don't know Jesus..." OR "...I have a better understanding of God's word than so-and-so, last month we had our neighbors over for a cookout and invited them to church..."      

Its as though we are saying, "God, are you happy with me? Have I done enough service for you to be satisfied with my efforts?" OR "Is my life about your mission in the world enough so that you will see I am sincere and devoted." And on it goes. We cry out for significance, meaning and belonging - not knowing how to arrive there we opt for effort instead. This is the essence of the life For God posture; how am I serving or what I accomplishing for God.

Following this line of logic things get downright scary. In our pursuit of God and His mission we may sometimes land on a particular philosophy to accomplish that mission; feeling as though we have nailed it so-to-speak, we begin to cast some disdainful glances at others who have not. Skye Jethani puts it this way:

An individual is either on the mission, the object of the mission, an obstacle to the mission, an aid to the mission, or a fat Christian who should be on the mission.

This was the story that Jesus told in Luke 15. One son shames his father, takes the inheritance and blows it in almost no time at all in wild and licentious living. He then returns home in utter embarrassment and shame.

The second son, upon his brother's return home, remains outraged at his father's reception of the younger son. He lectures the father on his morality, work ethic and devotion; essentially spitting in his face and refusing to celebrate the fact that his younger brother is still alive.

Both sons wanted what the Father had to give. They went about it two wildly different ways - one through entitlement and one through effort.

In this story, we are both sons. Licentious and entitled, we go our own way only concerned with the things we receive from God (Romans 3:10-19). It's easy and common to return here. Its equally as easy to display good morality, work ethic and devotion for God (Isaiah 64:6). Both postures of relating to God are interested in what God has, not so much God himself.

The latter son was the central theme of the life for God sermon which Steve Thompson preached this past Sunday (listen here). As he so carefully communicated there are seeds of biblical truth in each of the ways we relate to God that we have been examining over the last month. Steve provided a few diagnosing questions to help us learn if we are interested more in the meaning and significance found in doing something for God OR the meaning and significance we have as result of His reconciling work toward us. I urge you to consider them in conversation with a friend or family member this week:

1. Is my life for God so central that it characterizes my life as a Christian? Essentially, does mission supplant the central PERSON of the mission (Jesus)?
2. Do I pursue works of service because I am loved and accepted OR in order to gain acceptance or meaning before God? 
3. Do I believe God is disappointed with me when I fall short? 
4. Do I devalue others who don't have a similar passion or call to the mission as I do? 

If you've worked through the content of this entire post and still have a desire to dig deeper into the inexhaustible love of God (Eph. 3:17-19)... I recommend watching this:


Mike Frost SENTRALIZED Conference Kansas City 2013 "The Surprising Father" from Sentralized on Vimeo.


Consider joining us next Sunday as we wrap up the series and get to the heart of the matter - or return to this blog next week and read the summary.