Building Blocks

It's pretty incredible when you think about the power the Bible and the concepts and principles that it presents. And the foundational sequence that I heard explained the other day is one, I can't seem to put away. In fact, I only caught roughly half of it, but that doesn't diminish it's power.

In fact, as I look around at community and culture's frustration with Christianity, the power of this principle is undeniable.

True and perfect love moves us to pursue excellence which results in a life of integrity.

We look at people's shortage or complete lack of integrity and we wonder what went wrong. But if we take a look back, we see the missing element. A pursuit of excellence. Perfection is not a behavior to achieve, but an attitude with which we make our approach. It's not that we don't allow for mistakes and grace. But there's preparation, knowledge and understanding and contingencies to take steps to avoid and manage problems followed by learning and moving forward.

And where does an attitude of excellence come from?

Love.

Consider 1 Corinthians 13. Hopes all things, believes all things, endures all things, bears all things. It never fails! It is kind and without envy. It is patient without being puffy. It rejoices in truth.

Love does not settle, nor does it quit.

But this is how it builds.

Thus, when we are not kind, when we do envy, when we are short-fused, when we don't hope, believe and endure... when we rejoice in the iniquity rather than the truth; these things make it near impossible to pursue excellence. Which leaves room for a lifetime of second-best, compromise and some potentially ruinous decisions.

And we're certainly witnessing the fruit of that path, are we not?

So, pray this #communitySaturday, that the community would know the people of God as Christ said they would; by our love. May we lead lives that pursue excellence, not to be better or perfect than those next to us, but that God would be glorified as we give our all in like manner as He gave for us. Pray that we would be prepared to give an answer, as the world recognizes the difference in our lives, that integrity would be a marker that would set us apart... not because we know all, but because we know what the work of Jesus Christ has done in us.

May we be the difference makers the world needs
Because we daily open our hearts to the power of God
To make a difference in our lives.
For His glory alone
For the cause of Jesus Christ.

- PNC