Pride of place

I wonder on occasion as to how we sometimes think that we have or deserve the pinnacle of achievement. I am fairly certain that as we go through life we expect that our activities will provide for our eventual movement up the salary, social, community, politics, whatever scale it is we are wishing to achieve in. Through our merit we will achieve. In time we come to expect certain things as a result of our own expectations and the supposed level we believe we have attained. No matter whether this is in our work, social or faith lives there is a certain sense of "this is what I deserve and should have". In much the same way as those who have been invited to the wedding feast (Lk. 12.7-11) believe they deserve a seat near the top table.

The currying of favour is something that we could say is endemic in our society and buying into such a culture brings its own rewards in emotional toil when we find out precisely where we stand within the status frenzy of life. In Jeremiah a similar situation is lived out in the words of God to the people. In this case the faith community is the target, and perhaps should always be so, as their leaders a singled out as being full of supposed knowledge but having none (Jer. 2.8). How often do we discern something for ourselves rather than allowing the community and God's call make that decision? or we are pressured by authority to do the things that they discern to be good (for themselves or for those they wish to serve) rather than for the good of the community or the individual's call? In making decisions which are sent to try us we need to look more humbly upon our own assessment thus allowing room for God's Spirit to move in the manner that God would like not in the manner we would necessarily want.

Are we overwhelmed by the authority of position rather than God's leading?

This is the simple act of being faithful to an understanding of relationship in all that we do. Towards the end of Hebrews we see the author enunciating a way of living, a rule of life so to speak. It is a rule that understands that everything that we do is geared towards an encounter with God (Hebrews 13). This means that we must be prepared to make decisions that are towards the benefit of the other who may well be God or God's messengers. So part of our own decision making tree is to understand that the decision should be made to the benefit of the community around us and not for only my ownself. This is a direct repeat of last week in that every decision that is made needs to undertaken to the positive reinforcement of God's presence in our lives. We allow for God's ways to be shown to us and confirmed by the community. In trusting God in this way we entrust ourselves to the community in which we belong to guide and direct us. We do not allow a dictatorship to occur but a process that is filled with love and truth.

Does this sound as if it is even feasible or is it just some pipe dream for people to follow? The reality is that we are very unlikely to allow something to happen before we make a decision. If we are thinking like that then we have got ourselves on the wrong track. It is no that every decision is one made by God as there is free will and we are able to make up our own minds as to what, where, etc. It is more of an ability to understand and discern where God is leading us in our decision making and thus make the decisions appropriate to that path. We are not drones being told what to do at every junction in our lives. If we place God to the fore it is we who must make the decision but with God's presence and understanding. The other side of this is that we follow what God asks of us in terms of our own reactions and manner in which we live.