Character not comfort
Posted by Kit | January 23, 2012
Last night we watched one of Rob Bell’s Nooma videos, Rhythm. He asked some pretty challenging questions. We chatted about it and reckoned on a few things:
1. We spend too much time arguing about whether God exists instead of exploring what God is like. His character is the character that we’re trying to emulate, so let’s talk about love, hope, joy, compassion, sacrifice etc.
2. Everybody on the planet experiences these God-given characteristics, these signs. We don’t think that you have to be part of the church to experience something of God. He sustains a world of human beings in His image – we all have something of God within and anybody can live in tune with His character.
3. We should be claiming God’s presence in the world around us. When we see traits of God’s character we should point them out as such, no matter what the situation or root.
4. Too often Christians are more interested in keeping these God-given moments and character traits within their religion or faith. Instead we want to claim for God those moments visible in the world – just like Jesus did. He saw those God-traits with the woman at the well, the paralysed man, the tax collectors, the prostitutes…
5. We found that all this challenged our lifestyles. We shouldn’t be thanking God for a car parking space or a sale in a shop – what happens when there isn’t a space or the sale finishes? We should be thanking God for moments of His character displayed in our lives. God cares more about your character than your comfort.