"What" Changes When Everything Changes
"WHAT" CHANGES WHEN 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... ]
Over the last few weeks, we’ve been reflecting on how Jesus, how the Gospel, changes everything in our lives.
First, Jesus changes WHY we do what we do. WHY do we do what we do? This question touches on everything from motives, ambitions, and desires, to identity, significance, and meaning. All our Big Questions are changed, and so everything changes.
Second, when our WHY changes, our HOW will change too. To a large extent, whatever our lived-lives are is HOW we’re living our lives. HOW is practically everything about us—our demeanor, our vibe, our outlook—the experience of us. WHY changes HOW, and so everything is changed.
The next thing that’s changed are the WHATS of our lives.
When the Gospel-WHY changes our HOW, this will transform WHAT we do. Since I’m living from all that Jesus has done for me, I am therefore living prayerfully, to enjoy God’s love and share His love with others. This will begin to change WHAT I do, in a few ways.
What does this WHAT mean? WHAT we do are the things we have to do, but also the things we hope to accomplish. Sometimes we can see how these are connected—I have to wash the dishes and I hope to convey gratitude and love through this act. Sometimes these things feel separate—I have to get up and get to work, but I hope to be a more present parent or friend.
WHAT includes WHAT we do today and WHAT we might do tomorrow—my tasks and also my ambitions, my toil and also my goals. And all this may be changed.
First, WHAT I’m doing today changes.
For example, Am I just reviewing these numbers, this spreadsheet? Or am I safeguarding integrity and righteousness? Am I just doing these yard chores? Or am I enjoying God’s good world and loving my friends and family? Am I just fixing dinner? Or am I celebrating God's kindness and wisdom and caring for my strength and connecting with others?
WHAT are you doing today? Are you just turning the crank, doing what needs doing, punching the clock, pulling a paycheck, killing time? Or are you enjoying God and His world, caring for others, bringing goodness into the world?
WHAT we do every day changes when the WHY and HOW of our lives change.
Second, WHAT I’m doing with my life might change too.
It might be that a concern for justice, or for enjoying God in nature, or for enjoying God in technology, or for communicating love through hospitality or care or building or fixing or listening or counting… It might be that these concerns that God has put on your heart might grow to such an extent that you feel led to work somewhere else or do something else or start a new thing or head a different direction.
WHAT you are doing might change--sometimes even radically.
For example, we support John and Sue Briggs serving as medical missionaries in Togo, Africa. John was a doctor in Michigan when God changed everything for him and Sue and their family. First, the WHY changed, and then the HOW, and then his day-to-day WHAT, and then… WHAT he was doing with his life. John is still doctoring, he is still kind, still filled with God’s love, only now, he is these things and doing these things in Africa, often in extraordinary circumstances.
WHY changes HOW changes all WHATS. That’s everything.
Jesus Change Everything.
Now we do everything to the glory of God. Now we do everything with prayer and gratitude. Now we do everything in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now we do everything in love. Now we do everything by the power of Holy Spirit. Now we do still greater things. (Mat 5:16, 1Cor 10:31; Phil 4:6; Eph 5:20; 1Cor 16:14; Phil 4:13; John 14:12)
Next: Using WHY HOW WHAT to Change
Photo by Rolands Varsbergs on Unsplash
