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Unbalanced
What picture comes to mind as soon as you hear the word unbalanced? Perhaps tripping, way too much weight on one side of the teeter totter, the washing machine on spin cycle with too many clothes on one side banging away, too much work or too much play, an unbalanced diet or relationship, etc. Whatever picture comes to mind, being unbalanced is usually not a good thing. When thinking of life we all move out of balance at times, sometimes to one or the other of these two sides: “Doom & Gloom” or “Ivory Tower”.
If “Doom & Gloom” is all we see then it’s just war, disease, infection, poverty, natural disasters, bills, broken relationships, etc. and there is lots of that to go around. But on the other side you have the “Ivory Tower”. Life is good for you and all you see is the newborn baby, the house, your family, a good paying job, food on the table, extra money for a holiday trip, it’s all good for me, etc. Either side is out of balance.
What kind of a life do we live? What kind of church do we attend? What is Jesus like? I don’t want to live a life, attend a church or have relationship with Jesus if it’s all “Doom & Gloom”. It seems to me there is NO Faith, Hope or Love in those settings; it’s just all bad. However, I also don’t want to live a life, attend a church or have relationship with Jesus if it’s all “Ivory Tower”.
Well actually, if I’m honest and selfish… yes, I would like life to be perfect for me but that life is so narrow and requires living with a mask on. History plays itself out; when the have’s live in the castle with no concern for those outside the castle, the revolt is just around the corner. The fault on this “Ivory Tower” side is that there is NO real connection with people outside of self.
Jesus, when he walked this earth, intersected with real people on almost every page of the four gospels. He didn’t live in doom and gloom nor in the ivory tower. Somehow he brought them together and lived a balanced life. Touching heaven and changing earth – meeting with people right there in the city streets.
The challenge to us is to not be unbalanced but live a life that intersects with real people, moving ahead, enjoying life, facing challenges and hurts, and along the way imparting real authentic faith, hope and love that can sustain the weight of life, without being pulled all the way to “Doom & Gloom” or isolating ourselves in “Ivory Towers”.
I Corinthians 13:13 says: “These three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Blessings & Wisdom Pastor Glenn |