Christian Lifestyle

For many Christians there are two separate aspects of life: relationship with God and relationship with the real world. Unfortunately, the two seldom mix. I want to figure out how a relationship with God translates into a lifestyle that can serve as a contrast to the lifestyle created by the world. Unless I actually take the risk of practicing and discovering if what I believe is true, I do not have the right to preach it to someone else.

In part this is motivated by the irrelevance of the Christian lifestyle enjoyed in Suburban America. When I saw the poor people in the countryside in China, I knew that the gospel I carried was not good news to them. The gospel their country preached to them was a big house, plenty of money and no problems. My message was no different, except that I could promise a happy ending (a nice house, plenty of money, and no problems in a perfect world called heaven). Oops. Why would my message have any more pull than the other one? The only reason? Fear of a place called Hell.

While salvation is key to the gospel, the goal of salvation is restoration. Jesus is the second Adam, the reset button, the second chance for mankind to walk with God in this experience of life. If walking with God is my objective, then the standard of value by which I engage with life will be different. My value comes not from economic productivity. My Christianity is not part of my career. My career is my Christian life. What I do in the process of walking with God is irrelevant. If I walk with God as a server at a restaurant, a street sweeper in China, an executive in Ireland, or a gas station attendant in Minnesota, I am successful. I do not have to have a fancy house, a nice car, plenty of clothes, expensive food, or even a good reputation. I do not have to be distinguished as a Christian among those I serve. I simply have to love God in response to His love for me – and as I come to know His love, I will find myself loving those around me.

When it comes to a career, I no longer play that game. My career is my faith. When it comes to a retirement account, I no longer invest in dollars. My reward is incorruptible. When it comes to success, I have a new definition. My boasting is that I know God. When it comes to money, I am no longer a servant. My Father created the world and owns all its money.

I am setting up my life in a way that requires God to be real. Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs shows religion near the top of the pyramid as part of self-actualization. Christianity is meant to be the pyramid. If I cannot trust God for my basic survival needs, how can I trust him for my identity, love Him in relationship, or depend on Him for my future?

Even as I think about this, I realize that I still trust in my own ability and intelligence to care for myself. I know these are gifts from God for me to use. For the past several weeks, I have devoted these to investing in the kingdom of God without really thinking of how I can use them to care for myself. It may be that this is the way I give these to Him. I still presume that if God does not come through in the way I expect, I can use them to somehow get by. Every day that I submit these to the service of His kingdom, I show my trust in Him as my sole provider. He is everything that I need.