upside down way of God

I used to think that older people who talked about the “good old days” were just being nostalgic for when they were younger. Every “good old day” always sounded brighter than the present day. Back in those “good old days,” even a baby’s dirty diaper smelled better.

Now that I’m inching towards being included in the “older” demographic, I find myself in a curious position. I find myself talking with other forty-something people about “the way kids are” and about how things were different “back when I was young.” It’s kind of funny. Not the getting older part, but about how perspective changes with time.

Then again, our perspective should change with time. We learn, we grow, we experience significant life events. Wisdom isn’t the result of growing older; it’s the result of growing older and paying attention to what we learn along the way.

As Christ-followers, our perspective is informed by more than life experience alone. When we choose to follow Jesus, we are choosing to walk where he did, as he did. Our steps are to fall in line with his. In many respects, our goal is not to be Christ-like but to be living examples of Christ to the world.

The decision to follow Jesus puts us at odds with the prevailing values of our culture. It has always been that way. It was that way for Jesus and his first disciples. It was that way during the Roman Empire. It’s that way today.

We’ll be starting a new teaching series at LifePoint Church next Sunday entitled, “The Upside Down Way of God.” We’ll look at five Christian principles that may seem upside down:

• The First will be Last
• It’s Better to Give than to Receive
• The Weak are Strong
• Slavery is Freedom
• We Die to Live