Welcome to the September 26th edition of Faith & Life Lessons.
You will see this email full of tidbits from my week. My goal is simple. I hope that from how I live my life, you can find a thing or two that helps you as you try to live a life that matters. I am always trying to do one thing - make Christ-focused decisions in love, work, and life. And this was my week.
The Story of My Week
Sometimes a tired body, sometimes a fatigued brain, oftentimes rest needed to recalibrate.
This was my first week back at work and a week filled with different meetings.
By Thursday afternoon, I was feeling so tired. Having my weekly fast on Thursday did not help my body so well.
I ended the day with a headache.
But I am grateful for the week.
It's a week that started showing positive news for the business.
It's the kind of news that brings energy to the staff.
Yes, there was hard work to get us there.
But it owed more to God's grace.
"Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain" Psalm 127:1.
Thank you, Lord for what you are building.
Things I Learnt
1-Be Accountable to a Group: I heard two stories that reminded me of the need to have an accountability group.
Both women were successful in the private sector and had been appointed to take up positions in government. They were both vibrant Christians before going into these positions but came out differently from it.
The first woman was given a very sensitive appointment which came with a lot of financial pressure. Sadly, she isolated herself from the faith circle that she had lived among and became tied to the people that came with the office.
Eventually, she became a byword for the corruption that was synonymous with the government she was part of.
The second woman took a different approach. She remained committed to her accountability group - a group of Christian friends that she had been part of for years.
Regularly, they would set aside one day to pray for her.
Any time she had to go for a meeting at the seat of power, she would tell her accountability group. If she had to stay overnight there, she would call one of them to let them know where exactly she was per time.
This continued throughout her term in office.
Little wonder, she came out of her term with her faith and reputation intact.
I was super impressed because I hear of this level of accountability more with men
But we all need such people in our lives.
2-Developing a Christian Faith Filter: I was talking with someone who leads the business leaders' initiative of their church.
As part of their activities, they organize training in business and the like.
During a feedback session, someone had asked why the facilitators did not include scripture references in their teachings.
The person got a somewhat cheeky response - that's what I thought.
But there is a bigger concern that I have.
We have not taught everyday people how to develop a "Christian faith filter" that allows them to know the good stuff from the junk.
Quoting scripture does not confer legitimacy to any point of view. It is the correct alignment of a point of view or teaching to the whole Christian faith as defined by the scriptures that confer legitimacy.
This is the main skill that so many Christians have ignored.
And this is what makes us relevant in the everyday life that we live.
We can say the good stuff without quoting scripture because every stuff in our lives goes through a single worldview.
A Christian worldview.
And that is what we need to build up in our personal lives.
Postscript
May the deliverance of the Almighty bring you out safe from the fears and challenges that surround you. May you rise high under the banner of Jesus. Amen.
Tata,
Tola - The Everyday Disciple
I help Christians like you who want to live intentional lives incorporate their faith into everyday life so they can make Christ focused decisions in all areas of life and truly live to make an impact and make God happy.
0 comments