What is the ‘defining reality’ of your life? What is it about your life that defines everything else about you? If some part of your life were to be taken away – what part would have the most impact on who you are and how you live?
The answers to those questions are complex and they are varied. For some the ‘defining reality’ is their racial class. For some it is their work, for some it is there roll as a parent, for some it is their talents, for some it is their marriage and for some it is their standard of living. There are many ways that a person defines their life.
For those who ‘define reality’ by their race – if that were changed or taken away – the reference point for everything else is taken away. For those who ‘define reality’ by their work, their parenting, their marriage, their talents, and so on - when the ‘defining reality’ is taken away – the reference point for everything is taken away.
For a follower of Jesus – the ‘defining reality’ is meant to be Jesus. Disciples are meant to define everything in life based on Jesus. Jesus is the point by which everything else in life finds a ‘relative place.’ Just like the North Star and the North Pole are points upon which navigation is calculated Jesus is the point where all of life is calculated. Just like all clocks are coordinated relative to Greenwich Mean Time Jesus is what everything in life is coordinated to.
Paul wrote to the church in Colossi - “…, set your hearts on things above, … Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. … your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, …” (Colossians 3:1-4 NIV)
Set your hearts on things above – navigate by that. Set your minds on things above – coordinate to Jesus.
Notice the last four words – Christ, who is your life ….
There is the defining reality of life. Christ, who is your life. Christ, who is my life.
Jesus, help us to define everything else in our life by you and not you by the other things in our life. Amen.
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