Image Credit: http://seroton.ponderresearch.co/dolist/
To many of us, probably due to the nature of our jobs, we thrive in to do list. We are happy when at the end of a “successful” day we can check off all the boxes and go home happy because we achieved something. Well, this is great, but the question I ask is to what end? A to-do list so what? Yeah, you are happy you checked off all the boxes right, so what?
I'm currently on a trip and I like these trips mostly because I get to meet friends who ask me hard questions. Questions that have nothing with my to-do list, but with who am becoming. One of them is a great friend I respect who has committed his life to working with
On Tuesday 15th January 2019, I got a chance to meet him, after catching up, he asks me how is my marriage? This is a hard and easy question at the same time. But I have known him enough to know that just saying my marriage is “good” is not enough. So I start by saying my wife might have a different take on this question. I then go ahead and share with him a learning experience that I have been through. What my latest learning opportunities have been in order to make my wife happy and make our marriage what I hope it can be. I could have gone ahead and given him a list of things we have been doing, e.g. dinner dates, taking care of our boys, coming home early etcetera. As much as these are good and we probably need to be able to do them, but if it’s just a mental do to list where we are checking in boxes to say look how good a husband I am. I do this; I do that, I don't do this, I don't hurt my wife intentionally, I don't cheat on my wife etcetera, so what? Anyone can do that, and as Jesus said it, even the pagans do them.
Our conversation went further to reflect on how as Christians, we are always quick to answer a related question by a to-do list. How are you doing in your faith? We go ahead and list things; I pray, I attend a bible study, I don’t fornicate, I don’t steal and on and on. We can make a whole list. But the question is, so what? Anyone one can do that. This is a mental list. This list might have nothing to do with our hearts. Am not saying we don’t need to do them. They should be a manifestation of what is happening in our hearts. They should be as a result of what Jesus is doing in our lives. They should be the fruits of what we are becoming.
Following Jesus is not about a checklist of some nice things you are doing and those you are not doing. It’s a relationship. It’s about your heart, the core of who you are becoming rather than what you are doing. Now, this doesn't in any way mean you are perfect; it just means that our actions don’t make us righteous, but our broken and contrite spirit please Jesus, and that's righteousness. The good book says a righteous man falls seven times, but he rises up again. That makes Jesus come through and walk the journey with us. It moves the heart of Jesus because he knows we are seeking to relate with him is a deeper way. Not on a checklist.
How is your journey with Jesus like? Over and above the checklist that you may be avoiding to think of now, what has been your learning opportunity, your experience in growing in love with Jesus and those around you.
If this resonates with you, take time to evaluate how you live out your life. Look for a small community of friends who you can do this together with. Being accountable to a few and practicing with a few. It’s about building a community of friends to share each other’s life experiences. You have to be deeply committed to each other and desire to see each other grow in this journey. You have to create support, encouragement and accountability platform for each other. The community has to be a small as possible so that there is active engagement by all involved.
Find a community around you and see if these conversations make sense to you.
Image Credits: http://www.walkingwithgiants.net/church/small-groups/how-to-kill-a-small-group-discussion/
By Gabriel Achayo.
Great message Gabbie
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