"How" Everything Changes
[Some day I’ll preach a sermon (series) on this subject, but in the mean-time, here are some things I'm reflecting on... ]
Last week we observed that the Gospel changes everything in our lives by changing the WHYs of our lives.
Jesus Changes Everything…
First, by changing WHY we do what we do. No longer approaching life out of a sense of lack, instead, we have what we most truly need. No longer living with a sense of being lost or of confusion, instead, we know ourselves to have been found, we know to Whom we belong, and we know what we have in Him.
The WHY of our lives touches everything from identity to motivation, to purpose and meaning, to desire and drive. Jesus changes our WHY and WHY changes everything.
Second, the Gospel-WHY changes the HOW of our lives.
HOW do we do what we do? Everything we do, we do in a certain way. And the way we do what we do—the HOW—is determined by WHY we are doing it.
Jesus changes WHY we do what we do, and so Jesus changes HOW we do what we do.
Here a picture might be helpful for appreciating this.
Imagine, for example, I’m coaching a youth sports team.
(But we could just as easily consider the way we do our work, or the way we relate to our friends, or the way we take care of our bodies… We could use anything we ever do as an example here.)
So, HOW would I coach these kids if my WHY was to win every single game and be the best team? I would design practices a certain way and interact with the players a certain way. My “pep talks” and “post-game talks” would sound a certain way.
HOW would I do these things if my WHY was… to see kids develop in their skill as players? Or to see them grow in character through the ups and downs of competition?
Those would be very, very, different team experiences! Because those different WHYs would be reflected in the very different HOWs of our team.
So also HOW I am at work, HOW I am at home, HOW I am in my body, etc., is going to be shaped by the WHY behind it all.
Do I need my family to be “the best”? Do I need to be “in control” of my career? Do I need “recognition”? Do I have to forever maintain my physique?
Those are all, you know, ways of being you and ways of doing your life. But there are other, different, ways of approaching these parts our lives.
HOW do I get up in the morning? HOW do I do my work? HOW do I treat these people? HOW do I make plans, manage money, spend my down-time? WHY changes HOW, and everything is changed.
The HOWs of our lives are determined by the WHYs of our heart.
Can anyone truly see our WHYs? Maybe somewhat. But everyone can see HOW we live.
To a certain extent, whatever the living of our lives is, it’s HOW we’re living.
Jesus changes everything.
First, He changes our WHY.
Then our new WHY changes our HOW. And HOW is in everything about us.
Prayer:
Lord, You call me into Your light. You say, walk in the light, as You are in the light. You say, In all your ways to acknowledge You and that You will direct us.
Your Word quiets the deep WHY questions of my heart.
But Your Word also invites me to live a different kind of life. To go about being what I am and doing what I do in a way that, well, that looks and feels and sounds more like the way Jesus lived.
HOW do I live right now? Lord, I confess, the way I live is not always a clear reflection of the changes You've made in me. So I ask, Holy Spirit, that You continue to shine Your light on my life, continue to lead me in the path of what is right, continue to draw me to greater reliance on You, so that in everything I do--whether I eat or drink, whether I do good works or make dumb mistakes, and whatever else I do--I might do it in a way that is true to what You've done in me. That I might glorify You by living as Yours, with Your heart, and for Your glory.
Thanks be to God, in Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Next: the WHAT-change
Photo by Rolands Varsbergs on Unsplash