Month: April 2024

Our next chapter from “Man in the Mirror,” is titled “Significance: The Search for Meaning and Purpose.” It challenges us to consider what it really means to lead a significant life. For many, significance might be measured by achievements, influence, or the legacy they leave behind. However, this chapter invites us to consider a deeper concept of significance—one that aligns with God’s purpose and design for our lives.

Today’s Scripture is from Psalm 8:3-4 and says “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?”

These words remind us that no matter how much worldly significance we achieve, it all pales in comparison to the “work of God’s fingers”. And, as a result, we can gain more real significance by pursuing God vs. pursuing things.

Instead of defining our worth by worldly standards, which are fleeting and often leave us feeling unfulfilled, this chapter reminds us to find our significance in our relationship with God and our faithfulness to His call. This shift in perspective realigns our priorities and enriches our lives immeasurably more than any worldly accomplishment could.

Here’s a real head-scratcher – if we took a test about where our focus should be, we would all choose Godly significance as the “right” answer. But as soon as we stand up and leave today the first thing many of us (including me) will be tempted to do is check our messages and get right back into the rat race. That’s not to say that we should ignore our messages, but it highlights how quickly our focus can shift from Godly to worldly pursuits

I don’t believe the author is advocating for a life of poverty over one of wealth and material riches, nor is he anti-wealth or anti-accomplishment. Rather, he seeks the best for his readers, understanding that a laser focus on worldly things is less fulfilling than embracing God’s eternal perspective. Let’s explore this and other topics in our discussion questions below.

1. Do you agree with the statement above that the author really just wants the best for each of his readers or do you get the sense that he’s anti-wealth/anti-accomplishment (worldly accomplishment that is)? Or is the answer “both and”?
2. Why is it so tempting to choose the worldly significance path when we know the Godly significance path is better in every way? And are those two paths necessarily distinct & separate?
3. Two-part question – what daily habits do you currently follow to align more closely with God’s purposes for you? And what habits would you like to add?
4. How do you want to be remembered in terms of your faith and impact on others?

Today’s topic, from the third chapter of Man in the Mirror is a comparison between Cultural Christianity and Biblical Christianity. “Cultural Christianity” involves going through the motions—attending church, participating in Bible studies, and identifying with Christian values mostly in public or traditional settings. However, this approach may lack the depth of personal faith, daily reliance on Scripture, and a living relationship with Christ that defines a Biblical Christian.

Today’s lesson is about bringing awareness to the difference because I believe that many of us might find ourselves acting in the role of a cultural Christian without even realizing it. That brings us to the verse for today which is from James 1:22-23:

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.”

So, what’s the big deal, right? If we live life as a cultural Christian, nobody gets hurt, and we are at least acting like a “good guy”. Is this really that bad? To me, this is like neglecting our health by skipping exercise and overindulging in desserts—eventually, our doctor might deliver news we can’t reverse.

In the same way, imagine pausing to reflect on December 31^st of even one single year and genuinely contemplating the quality of our faith life over the previous 12 months. In many years, we might realize that, while we’ve been present at church, we haven’t been fully present in our walk with God. And while that single year of regret is genuinely sad, consider adding all the rest of your years of regret together and thinking about that weighty idea as you near the end of your life on earth – wow, now that’s powerful.

But the good news is that it’s a lot simpler than we try to make it. It’s not about doing more in most cases; it’s about doing less. Typically, we don’t need more Bible studies or volunteering at the soup kitchen; we need more quiet time with God and more time to reflect on scripture. Those are the real moments when God speaks to us and moves our hearts.

The path of a Biblical Christian involves a daily (yes, daily) commitment to transform our hearts and minds to reflect the image of Jesus. But it is completely worth it! Imagine waking each day with a sense of purpose and a life of peace. This is not just a distant dream; it is very much available to each of us as we deepen our faith.

As we dig into these questions, let’s really challenge ourselves. By sharing authentically, everyone will hopefully leave today with a renewed passion for living as a Biblical Christian.

Questions:

1. Do you agree with the statement above that it’s possible to live much of our life as a cultural Christian without even being aware of it?

2. Based on your personal observations, do it seem to you that most people spend more time in the realm of cultural or Biblical Christianity?

3. What are practical steps we can take to transition from a cultural to a Biblical Christian?

4. Looking forward, what changes do you hope to see in your life as you shift towards a more engaged and Biblical Christianity? How do you envision this impacting your sense of fulfillment and purpose?