For me, the months of December and January are becoming more and more contemplative. What I mean by that is that I am spending more time reflecting upon the year and then focusing on the new year to come. The older I get this reflection is not so much goal oriented as it is stewardship and relationally oriented. My thoughts are not so much about how I have achieved certain key initiatives as they are how I have done stewarding what the Lord has give me. Goals are still important, but goals can be very impersonal. Stewardship is a much more relational and healthier approach. I am desiring more and more to know whether I have pleased the Lord this last year – now this has taken me into a much more vulnerable place than just evaluating certain goals. It’s like having an annual review before the King? How would Jesus evaluate me?
Jesus wrote seven evaluation letters to seven different churches. These can be found in Revelation 2-3. I want to concentrate on His letter to the church at Laodicea. He had a strong word for them – that they were complacent and lukewarm in their faith. Now, a complacent lukewarm faith produces relational complacency. What is relational complacency? It is the result of a misplaced pursuit of riches, a minimizing of the importance of purity and a masquerading of the true source of vision. But Jesus comes to us and says, “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich, and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes.” (Revelation 3:18)
Have you ever thought about the connection between your view of riches and the quality of your relationships?
How does a “misplaced pursuit of riches” adversely affect our relationships? If we are focused on worldly wealth, we will not be able to build relational wealth; deep lasting, fulfilling intimate relationships. History is full of examples. A pursuit of worldly wealth works against relational wealth and people even those closest to us simply become a means to our end goal.
Have you ever thought about the connection between your view of purity and the quality of your relationships?
How does a “minimizing of the importance of purity” adversely affect our relationships? If we minimize the importance of purity, we lose the ability to experience true deep intimacy and we maximize wounds and bondages. This is why Jesus exhorts the church to buy from Him (free) white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness. The church for too long has emphasized purity and abstinence without emphasizing the foundation of all purity which is the justification, the free gift of Christ’s righteousness, a whole new standing before God. Recently, I sat down with my girls to check up on what they were watching – and it was this show called, “What Not to Wear.” About these designers who take on tough cases and try to transform the way they look and in turn the way they feel about themselves. There is a spiritual lesson here – we need to be aware of what not to wear, and even more important what we should wear.
Have you ever thought about the connection between your spiritual eyes and your relationships?
How does a “masquerading of the true source of vision” adversely affect our relationships? Without growing our spiritual sight we lose sight of a glorious transforming vision for our relationships. If we just look at the state of relationships and marriage today through worldly eyes – there is not much hope. But when we see the potential and glorious vision for our relationships as Jesus sees them there is always hope for transformation and a wonderful future.
So, how do we start to overcome relational complacency? We start by heeding Jesus’ invitation: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20)
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